The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 6 September 2019 – – Watch Your Prayers
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TOPIC: Watch Your Prayers
READ: Jeremiah 17:11-23 King James Version (KJV)
11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.
12 A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.
13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.
15 Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now.
16 As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee.
17 Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil.
18 Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.
19 Thus said the LORD unto me; Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem;
20 And say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:
21 Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
22 Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.
23 But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.
THE MESSAGE:
The people were accusing Jeremiah and lying against him for what he never said. They even dared God to do His worse (verse 15). The people were also warned not to bring in their crops and wares on the Sabbath Day. They refused to obey. Jeremiah pleaded with God to bring disgrace on those who persecuted him; to bring disaster on them and break them to pieces (verse 18; GNB). He asked God to spare him while doing so.
It is true that Jeremiah was being unjustly oppressed and was justified to ask God for vindication but presently, we live in a new dispensation. We may be passing through rough times in the hands of people; we may even perceive them as enemies. However, God can use them as vehicles for our promotion. Only the devil is our enemy. He uses men to fulfill his purpose. God expects us to see our enemies in another light.
In Matthew 5:44, Jesus charged us to love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. This looks like a very tall order, but that is exactly what God expects of us. However, we cannot achieve that in the flesh except we allow the Holy Spirit to control and direct our lives.
Prayer: My Lord, help me to forgive those I may perceive as my enemies and pray for them
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