Homecoming

7This is what the Lord says:

“Sing with joy for Jacob;

shout for the foremost of the nations.

Make your praises heard, and say,

‘Lord, save your people,

the remnant of Israel.’

8See, I will bring them from the land of the north

and gather them from the ends of the earth.

Among them will be the blind and the lame,

expectant mothers and women in labor;

a great throng will return.

9They will come with weeping;

they will pray as I bring them back.

I will lead them beside streams of water

on a level path where they will not stumble,

because I am Israel’s father....

They will be like a well-watered garden,

and they will sorrow no more.

13Then young women will dance and be glad,

young men and old as well.

I will turn their mourning into gladness;

I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.

14I will satisfy the priests with abundance,

and my people will be filled with my bounty,” (Jeremiah 31) 

Thoughts: What happens when God smiles on us again? He brings us back and restores His people.  It is a beautiful thing when the people who went astray are brought back into the fold.  It is a beautiful thing when God blesses His people.  In response he is praised, there is fruitfulness (women having babies with hope), things go smoothly and He provides bountifully. 
    This is my prayer for my church family at LMPC- that God will bless us, provide for us, and that the days of our disgrace will be turned into abundant joy.   There are those who say we don't deserve to be blessed- but who does?  It is God's mercy that gathers us to praise Him, give thanks to Him, be comforted by Him, and recognize Him as our Father.  Some almost act as if it is not our place to ask for blessings.  But scripture implies that being blessed by God is a good thing. It also implies that gathering together in worship- a homecoming in worship- is a wonderful thing too. 
     This Sunday 11/4, we are calling all our former members back.  We will have a "Kirkin' O the Tartan" (a calling of the families back to church). All those who have ever cared or worshiped here to come home and join us in praise to God to be blessed and bless His name.  

Prayer: Lord, may your name be praised.  May you be blessed as we gather together in what united us in the first place- your praise and blessing.  

Jeremiah and the New Covenant

31“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,

“when I will make a new covenant

with the people of Israel

and with the people of Judah.

32It will not be like the covenant

I made with their ancestors

when I took them by the hand

to lead them out of Egypt,

because they broke my covenant,

though I was a husband to^d them,^e ”

declares the Lord.

33“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel

after that time,” declares the Lord.

“I will put my law in their minds

and write it on their hearts.

I will be their God,

and they will be my people.

34No longer will they teach their neighbor,

or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’

because they will all know me,

from the least of them to the greatest,” (Jeremiah 31)

20In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. (Jesus- Luke 22:20)

Thoughts: The old covenant (Old Testament) was broken.  The people had forsaken God, and made a mess of His Law.  The promise was that if they followed God they would inherit the land and their descendants would be numerous.  Now they would be kicked out of the land and many of their offspring are killed.  But, there is still hope.  The people would come back to God and come back to the land. 
But the new covenant is a new promise- a promise that goes further- of heaven (the true promised land) and forgiveness and the Gospel spread to all the nations.  The great covenant language is here: "I will be their God and they will be my people."  This is a bond, a relationship.  But Jeremiah and Jesus would say the relationship is not a physical one- but a spiritual one.  The Law is not just upon their bodies but upon their minds and hearts.  The new covenant is a new way to open up the knowledge of God to all people- not just a few.  God took the Jews- became a Jew- and then opened up the door of election to all people.  

Prayer: Lord, thank you for opening up the knowledge of you to my heart.  Let my heart be yours- undivided and true.  

5-10-15 A Mother's Day Thought from Jeremiah 31

‘Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’ 8See, I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the ends of the earth. Among them will be the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor; a great throng will return.

“A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping,Rachel weeping for her children

and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” 16This is what the Lord says:“Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord. “They will return from the land of the enemy. 17So there is hope for your descendants,”  declares the Lord. “Your children will return to their own land. (Jeremiah 31)

Thoughts: These are verses of fruitfulness and hope.  Jeremiah was writing this before his people were taken into captivity.  He was giving them the promise that even if they were taken away, they would be brought back.
    Jeremiah was using the image of motherhood to bring both sadness and hope.  Rachel was weeping for her children refusing to be comforted (vs. 15).  This is true sadness. A mother's sadness for her missing children.  The Lord comforts these mothers with the promise of descendants and a return.  The promise of heaven enables us to be comforted when our children die, leave, or move away.  In heaven love will be returned and death has no power.
     But this also is a promise for now.  The Lord says His remnant.  The church may be reduced to a remnant- but God brings the church back.  Interestingly, God brings back not just the healthy but the weak (blind and lame and the pregnant).  When the war came, all these vulnerable people were put to the sword.  That pregnant women are there is a sign that the young will return to the Lord.  This is the sign that the Lord will bring up a new generation who will be faithful to Him- even if the old is unfaithful.  This is our prayer for 2015 in America.  God renew your remnant and restore your people who have faith in you.  

Prayer: Lord, comfort mothers and restor your people.  You are the rebuilder and renewer of hearts.