Lectio Divina
This morning's mediation is from Jeremiah 31:16-25
The weeping prophet speaks of hope and of a Father that does not forget his children. The Father has spoken of the pending disaster that comes to those who reject Him and speaks of the folly of youth. I certainly have been guilty of my share of folly and find myself repeating the same mistakes over and over. "How long will you wander, O unfaithful son."
Set up a road sign, put up a guideposts.
Take note of the highway, that road that you take. [v21]
As I look ahead, one maybe two years, I have to question where will this road that I'm on lead? Am I drawn deeper into God's heart, or into more and deeper burnout? Are the signs telling me now to slow down, danger ahead, expect delays?
I'm drawn to this passage because it speaks of the journey of life and that I can and should make the choice of which highway I'm on. Yet at times I feel like I'm on a four lane highway and I can't get to the exit I want. I blame God when things don't work out the way I had them planned only to find I've been traveling to this place all along. God begs us to to set our priorities and to know where we're going.
Here are some of my common roadsigns of pending disaster...
(1) Worship drops off -- worship determines the destination. We're all traveling into eternity, worship determines where you will spend that time. Satan doesn't need you to outright reject God, just delay Him.
(2) Giving drops off -- thinking I don't have enough fails to see reality, my heart is hard to the needs of my church and my community.
(3) Prayer is dragging -- if I can't give my time to God in private conversation, then disaster is almost assured.
(4) Family time -- sacrificing family time to please people who you'll hate you no matter what.
Today is a day to think about road signs and the highway of my life.
"Silence is God's first language; everything else is a poor translation. In order to hear the language, we must learn to be still and to rest in God." ~ Thomas Keating