Thursday, January 12: Jeremiah 14- Are you listening.

We think of drought as a weather phenomenon, but for Israel and Judah rain was directly tied to their covenant with the Lord. Lush fertile soil fills parts of Israel, and yet there is no mighty river to feed these crops. The Jordan is actually a small river. Israel is dependant upon rain for crops to grow.  God promised, as part of His covenant with them when He brought them into the land, that if they were faithful He would provide the rain they needed. Deuteronomy 11:13-14 reads: So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today--to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul-- then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. So for Israel, drought was not merely a weather phenomenon, it was God speaking to them. Drought equaled God’s discipline.

This is important background for reading today’s chapter.  A severe drought, like they are experiencing, carried God’s Word of judgment. As God said about them in verse 10, "They greatly love to wander; they do not restrain their feet. So the LORD does not accept them; he will now remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins."

We do not have a covenant with God like ancient Israel did. We cannot say, “Oh, my a drought! What have we done to displease God?” But we have other ways to know what God expects of us. First and foremost we have the Scriptures, the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible. Also, God has given to all His people who follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit who is God with us, the comforter and counselor and empowerer of God’s people.

It is clear that Judah did not pay attention to God’s speaking to them through the drought. The Spirit’s whisper to me concerns paying attention, too. Am I (are you) paying attention to God’s Word and the nudges of the Holy Spirit or are we disregarding God’s communications to us like Judah did? Good question…

Lord, as I move through today, please help me to listen and pay attention to Your leadings and guidings. Help me to honor and live true to Your Word… In Jesus’ name. Amen.