Morning Message Text: Jeremiah 31: 7-17
7 This is what the LORD says: “Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the foremost of the nations. Make your praises heard, and say, ‘LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’
8 See, I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the ends of the earth. Among them will be the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor; a great throng will return.
9 They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son.
10 “Hear the word of the LORD, you nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’
11 For the LORD will deliver Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they.
12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the LORD— the grain, the new wine and the olive oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more.
13 Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.
14 I will satisfy the priests with abundance, and my people will be filled with my bounty,” declares the LORD.
15 This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
16 This is what the LORD says: “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,” declares the LORD. “They will return from the land of the enemy.
17 So there is hope for your descendants,” declares the LORD. “Your children will return to their own land.
Morning Message:
The turning of the year reminds us time is fleeting, the past is unalterable, the future is uncertain, and our God is unchanging! I believe that one of the biggest mistakes we make as Christians is failing to take the time to be deliberate about how we live out our time on this earth. The start of a new year gives us that opportunity. I find the time between Christmas and New Year’s refreshing and the perfect time to reset our priorities and make a plan to move forward in our faith. Let’s be clear, I am not talking about making a new year’s resolution. I am not against resolutions, but they seldom last. As your Pastor it is one of the things that I feel charged by God to do; pass on the guidance that I feel God giving me. There is an advantage to being in a small congregation; guidance can take place in a much more intimate way, if you want it.
First, let’s stop pretending that we have all the time in the world to do God’s will here on earth. Time is fleeting, it is flying right by us. We have to be aware that what we can accomplish today, we might not be able to do tomorrow, let alone next year. I don’t know about you, but I seem to move slower every day. We don’t need to panic, but we do need to stop wasting time.
Second, we must learn from the past not dwell on it. Did you do anything wrong last year? Don’t raise your hand. Give it to God. Let him forgive you, and let’s move on. Did you do anything good last year? I know everyone wants to raise their hand now, but don’t. That’s wonderful, pat yourself on the back, give it to God, and let’s move on. You can’t change the past; all you can do is learn from it and move forward.
Third, realize that the future is uncertain. You are here today, January 5, 2025. There is no guarantee that any of us will see January 6, 2025. Do you think that I am exaggerating? Have you seen the unexpected tragedies that have taken place lately? Planes fail to land properly, thousands are lost in car accidents every year, hearts just stop beating and we all perish the moment God takes away our breath. Do you think that any of those people, the day before, thought they would not see another full day? Live for today and do what God is calling you to do today.
Fourth, through all of this, know that God is unchanging. Your past doesn’t change God’s love for you. The mistakes made today have no effect on God’s love for you, God does not change; He is always present, and He will be forever with you assuring your future.
Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet. His writings are full of warnings for Israel and lamenting over God’s just punishment for his people. But right in the middle of the book of Jeremiah we start to hear about the hope. God reveals to Jeremiah that even though Israel did so much wrong, and God banished them from their land, He was going to save his people. They were going to have a future. God made a promise to Israel, and God always keeps his promises. God is saying to Jeremiah, shout, make your praises heard to the world, tell everyone what I am about to do, none will be left behind, I will bring the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and even ones in labor. “They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back.” “Hear the word of the Lord, you nations; proclaim it in the distant coastlands: He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.” God is a God of blessings, and he always gives us hope for the future. Something to think about: He says they will pray as I bring them out. They have not stopped praying even after their prayers are answered. They are praying as they walk into their future.
In Isaiah 43:18-19 we hear this, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Listen to the instruction for our lives in this passage of scripture. Let go of everything from last year that might weigh you down. God is always waiting and ready to provide new things in our lives if we will let him. I truly believe that there are opportunities constantly springing up around us to do God’s will and enrich our faith. What does it mean when God says, “I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wilderness? Come on church! These are not just casual words from God. What is He saying?
Please see this. There is no way in the wilderness and there are no streams in the wilderness, so, God is ready to do what we think is impossible. God is standing at the threshold of time and waiting for us to step into the future that he has planned for us.
There is one thing that we, all of us, the church, are missing. It lies in the question that God asks, “Do you not perceive it?” Why are we not perceiving what God has for us? Once we lay everything down before the Lord, our past, our present, and our future, we need to draw near to God with a constant, submissive prayer. I would encourage you to write down a prayer to God as a constant reminder to look for what He is doing all around you. Something like this: “Lord, thank you for your faithfulness during all of this past year. There were good days and bad ones, but there were no days without your constant grace and care. My mistakes and sins are covered with the blood of Jesus. My victories are committed to you. Now, help me to anticipate the new graces before me — the blessings, the guidance, the opportunities, the promises. May I perceive your ways. May I, by faith, foresee your path forward and the springs you will give me in the desert.” You can record that prayer as your own, or you can write out a prayer in your own words. There’s not a better plan than recording your thoughts in the form of a prayer as the old goes out and the new comes in. All I can do is guide you in what the Lord is giving me. If you truly want to move forward in your walk with Jesus, you need to take the first step. Maybe writing a simple prayer for this new year is it. What is your prayer this year?
In Christ’s Love and Peace,
Pastor Bob
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