Thurs’s Devo - Walk in the Light

Read: Jeremiah 19:1-21:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-28; Psalm 82:1-8;
It is easy to read Jeremiah and think “how many times is God going to warn them?” But that is the Lord’s long-suffering and love. He desires that all be saved and he never does anything that he doesn’t first tell his prophets. Their job is to tell the people. Jeremiah was giving a very unpopular word when all the other prophets were saying the opposite. He said that Tophet and Hinnom would be called a place of slaughter. Tophet means “a spitting as an object of contempt” and Hinnom meant “to make oneself drowsy”. God was taking it one step further. The place of contempt and self-denial was going to be completely destroyed.
King Zedekiah sent the priests Pashur and Zephaniah to hear what he was saying. Their names mean “liberation” and “treasured”. No wonder they couldn’t hear that their freedom was ending and their treasure would be taken by their enemy. In Thessalonians, Paul continues talking about the end of time. He tells them that though he is coming as a thief to the world, he is not coming as a thief to them because they didn’t live in darkness but the light. They would be able to see that he was coming. If we live in the light we will not suffer the rewards of those who walk in darkness. God will save us from the wrath to come. He gives us a list to always do: be joyful, pray, be thankful, hold on to what is good walk in peace. Then he gives us a list not to do: don’t put out the fire of the Holy Spirit, don’t hate prophecy don’t believe everything you hear, avoid evil.
Lord, help us to continue to walk in the light of your presence.