The Delight of Power – Jeremiah 9:23-24

“Thus says the Lord, let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practises steadfast love, justice and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-24

Power. Knowledge is power. Strength is power. Wealth is power.

Power is exalted in the world. Few would deny it. Many seek it. We praise those with power. We envy those with power. We delight in power.

We say, that CEO is a Christian, praise God! We say, that Minister professes Christian values, praise God! We say, that pop star said “God”, praise God! We are saying, they have power and we want to be like them.

But this power is nothing.

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The Word of the Lord to the Church from Jeremiah 7 (2016)

3-4 The King of the Heavens, the God of the Church says to you: change your ways and I will let you remain in your place. Do not believe what some church leaders say: this is the house of the Lord, this is the house of the Lord, this is the house of the Lord!

5 If you truly change your ways, if you truly treat one another with justice, if you do not oppress the migrants, the single mothers, the poor, the marginalised, or commit violence in word or deed, and if you do not chase after idols like fame, fortune, force or fear, I will let you remain where you are Church, secure, in peace, prospering, where I gave your forefathers.

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Finding Rest (Jeremiah 6)

I’m tired. Where can I find rest?

“Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.'” – Jeremiah 6:16.

Rest is found on the good way of the ancient paths.

The people of Judah were judged.

Their cities were wells full of oppression, evil, violence, destruction, sickness and wounds (v 6-7).

Their people were greedy for unjust profits. People dealt falsely. Even the prophets and priests declared peace when there was in truth impending disaster which flowed from their evil (v 13-14).

Their people are stubbornly rebellious. They slander (v 28).

The word of the Lord is the object of scorn to them; they do not pleasure in the word (v 10).

This is the picture of people who turn away from the ancient paths.

Where are the ancient paths? How are they to be found?

Stop in your tracks.

Stand by the road.

Look hard with eyes not of flesh but spirit.

Ask for the ancient paths. Seek. Question. Explore.

It is right there. Before you. Beneath your noses. At your bedside. Under your bills and newspapers. In your phone.

The only question then is, will you walk in it? Or will you follow the trail of the people of Judah and say, we will not walk in it?

We need rest for our souls. Rest is waiting for us on the good way of the ancient paths.

Advocating for Survivors of ISIS’s Genocide of Christians and Yzidis in Syria and Comforting the Oppressed and Trafficked in the Middle East

Advocating for Survivors of ISIS’s Genocide of Christians and Yzidis in Syria and Comforting the Oppressed and Trafficked in the Middle East

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ALf_6FLNg44

This short film tells the stories of many Syrian Christians who watched their loved ones tortured and killed at the hands of men who hated their religion and their God. The martyrs were unfazed at the hands of their tormentors. “I am blessed because I am persecuted for my Yeshua,” cried a lady who was tied to a pole in the middle of the street in Aleppo, spat on and punched day after day. A man was crucified in the city, having the glory to die in the same manner as his own saviour. These were the stories I heard tonight from Jacqueline and Yvette Isaac, a mother-daughter team of Egyptian Christians who started Roads of Success, a humanitarian NGO which provides support and care to the downtrodden and oppressed, and advocates for those whose stories have been suppressed.

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