If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall serve as my mouth.
– Jeremiah 15:19
My Lord as the school year begins and we reunite with friends, catching up, sharing, talking, talking talking – please let only Your precious words escape my lips and let my lips fall silent for all else.
Just as impurities should be removed from the original metals during the process of making an alloy to increase the strength and durability of the alloy (the new metal), our impurities should be cleansed and removed before He melts our hearts into one new heart through marriage.
If our hearts are full of impurities, then how can we ever hope for our new heart to be strong. These impurities will cause our new heart to be brittle, weak, and easily damaged requiring constant attention and surgical repair.
Sweet Lord, we have neglected the need to seek cleansing and purification through reflection, prayer, fasting and confession before the many celebrations of our lives, but most of all before our marriages. We have turned the time of engagement and preparation into yet another party rather a time of reflection, prayer and a time to seek You. Please forgive us and help us seek the ancient paths, where the good way lies.
Jeremiah 6:16
Thus says the Lord: Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.
Almost every time I pray I ask for my family and friends to be blessed and kept safe, but what does keeping them safe really entail? What does blessing them really entail?
Do I mean for them to be healthy and kept out of accidents?
Do I mean for them to be comfortable and happy?
Will keeping them safe and blessing them bring them closer to God? I don’t know.
In Jeremiah 14:11-12
The Lord said to me: Do not pray for the welfare of this people. Although they fast, I do not hear their cry, and although they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I do not accept them; but by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence I consume them.
Was the Lord asking Jeremiah to refrain from praying for the welfare of these people because He knew that safety, comfort and blessings are not what would bring these people closer to Him? Is He saying that that they will only cry out to Him, present offerings from their hearts, and truly come closer to Him in times of war, famine and pestilence?
I am not sure, but reading this made me take a step back and wonder.
1. How often do I cry out to God in true joy and thanksgiving when I am safe, comfortable and blessed? Do these blessings help bring me closer to Him?
2. How often do I cry out to God in times of sorrow or conflict? Do these difficulties and challenges bring me closer to Him?
God wants us to cry out to Him regardless of whether it is in joy or misery. He wants to be there for us, He wants to be close to us and maybe sometimes we won’t let Him in until the difficult times arise.
God please help us to pray with humility knowing that we don’t know what is best, and help us to have faith that You do know what is best for all of us and will do everything in Your power to help us cry out to You.
Maybe my new prayer should be, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!