Thurs.’s Devo - Passing Down a Legacy of Faithfulness

Read: Jeremiah 35:1-36:32; 1 Timothy 5:1-25; Psalm 89:14-37; Proverbs 25:25-27 God told Jeremiah to go to the camp of the Recobites and invite them to sit down and have some wine with them in a private setting. Jeremiah went to Jaazaniah and his grandson Habazzniah and all his brothers and sons who were Recobites and took them into private room. He set out cups and jugs of wine and invited them to have a drink. They all refused stating that their ancestor told them to never drink wine and to always live in tents and they had obeyed this. When the Babylonians attacked they moved to Jerusalem for safety. God used them as an example to the Jewish people. He told them that this family had obeyed the command of their ancestor for all these years yet they had not obeyed the God of their ancestors. Because they had refused to obey the Lord all the prophecies against them would be fulfilled. Jeremiah told the Recabites that because they had obeyed their ancestor in every respect they would always have descendants who serve the Lord. During Jehoiakim’s fourth year God told Jeremiah to write down all the messages he had given Jeremiah from the days of Josiah until now. Jeremiah had Baruch the scribe transcribe them on scrolls and had them sent to the Temple for the priests to read. When they read them, they were appalled at what they said. They sent a message to the king to tell him about the content of the scrolls and he asked for them to be brought and read to him. After the reader had read a few columns, Jehoiakim would take his knife and cut what he had just read and threw it in the fire. God told Jeremiah to take another scroll and write the messages again and added that because the king burned the first scrolls, he would have no heir to sit on the throne of David and his body would be thrown out and not buried in a grave. God would punish him and his family and all his attendants for their sins. All the disasters he spoke against Jerusalem would come true. Paul wrote to Timothy about the correct honor to give each category of people. He was to respect the elderly, treat younger men as brothers and older women as they would treat their mother. They were to treat the younger women as sisters. Widows should be taken care of first by their children and then the church. Then he described what a widow was in God’s eyes. It was a woman who was alone in the world but had placed her hope in God. She had been faithful to her husband and well respected by everyone. Her children were brought up well and the was kind to strangers and served others. Younger widows should remarry and have children and a house to keep her busy. The responsibility of the widow lies first on the family and then the church. If an elder is accused of anything, there must be at least two witnesses before it is believed or action is taken. If there is reprimand to be done it should be publicly in front of the whole church to be an example to others. Paul ended with everyone’s sins and good deeds will one day be brought to the light. Lord, may we walk in the fear of the Lord but also the love and grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May we pass down a legacy of faithfulness to You to our children and grand-children.