FAITH BLOG

SACRIFICE

"The word of the LORD also came to me, saying, “You shall not take a wife, nor shall you have sons or daughters in this place.” For thus says the LORD concerning the sons and daughters who are born in this place, and concerning their mothers who bore them and their fathers who begot them in this land: “They shall die gruesome deaths; they shall not be lamented nor shall they be buried, but they shall be like refuse on the face of the earth. They shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, and their corpses shall be meat for the birds of heaven and for the beasts of the earth.”(Jer. 16:1-4)

During a time when it was a shame and a dishonor to be single and childless, marriage and childbearing were expected. Jeremiah’s obedience to God’s command would attract attention. We should suppose that like most others Jeremiah looked for the blessings and benefits of marriage and parenthood. These were legitimate desires for him to have; yet in order to fulfill the call of God upon his life, he may need to deny such things to pursue the higher call. Jesus would later explain that His followers must be willing to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him (Luke 9:23). According to the will of God for the individual believer, this may mean giving up otherwise legitimate pursuits.(Guzik)  Sacrificing blessings seem a little far fetched, but may be necessary to achieve more important spiritual goals.

INSPIRED BY HOPE

God has chosen you! What a great opening from our brothers Paul, Silas and Timothy. Paul goes on to remind us that how we live our lives serve as a living example of our faith. Knowing this, how do you want others (believers or non-believers) to see you? The answer is: we want them to see us as imitators of our faith.

Paul reminds us that when we model our lives as imitators of the Truth; our faith becomes known to those around us. Think about the number of people we come in contact with daily; now imagine that one of those individuals is yearning to know the Hope that you claim you have. What they see in you could have a tremendous impact on whether they approach you or not. If your actions match your words; there is always a chance that one person will ask you to explain the Hope that you have. Of course, you will answer with something like: “I serve the living and true God and like all of creation yearn for the return of the Son from Heaven; Jesus Christ, who God raised from the dead to rescue all who believe in Him from the coming wrath.”

Remember, you are approved by God and have been entrusted with the Gospel. Paul, Silas and Timothy suffered severely to help spread the Gospel that you now know. They did it because they loved you, they did it because they wanted you to know the Hope that they knew. Now Faithful Believer, you have been entrusted with the Gospel.  Are you suffering to spread it? Does the life you live uplift it? Are you always prepared to provide an answer for those interested in knowing the Hope you have? Paul, Silas and Timothy were ALWAYS READY; and my prayer for you believer is that you will be too.