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April 28, 2022 8:00 pm
Chemotherapy reduced the tumor in my father-in-law’s pancreas, until it didn’t. As the tumor began to grow again, he was left with a life-and-death decision. He asked his doctor, “Should I take more of this chemo or try something else, perhaps a different drug or radiation?”
The people of Judah had a similar life-and-death question. Weary from war and famine, God’s people wondered whether their problem was too much idolatry or not enough. They concluded they should offer more sacrifices to a false god and see if she would protect and prosper them (Jeremiah 44:17).
Jeremiah said they had wildly misdiagnosed their situation. Their problem wasn’t a lack of commitment to idols; their problem was that they had them. They told the prophet, “We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord!” (v. 16). Jeremiah replied, “Because you have burned incense and have sinned against the Lord and have not obeyed him or followed his law or his decrees or his stipulations, this disaster has come upon you” (v. 23).
Like Judah, we may be tempted to double down on sinful choices that have landed us in trouble. Relationship problems? We can be more aloof. Financial issues? We’ll spend our way to happiness. Pushed aside? We’ll be equally ruthless. But the idols that contributed to our problems can’t save us. Only Jesus can carry us through our troubles as we turn to Him.
Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. My name is Mike Whitman and I titled today's reading spiritual diagnosis chemotherapy reduce the tumor.
My father-in-law's pancreas until it didn't. As a tumor began to grow again. He was left with a life-and-death decision yes is Dr. try take more this chemo or try something else.
Perhaps a different drug or radiation.
The people of Judah had a similar life-and-death question weary from war and famine, God's people wondered whether their problem was too much idolatry were not enough, they concluded, they should offer more sacrifices to a false God and see if she would protect and prosper them.
Jeremiah said they had wildly misdiagnosed the situation. The problem wasn't a lack of commitment to idols. The problem was that they had them.
They told the prophet, we will not listen to the message you spoken to us in the name of the Lord.
Jeremiah replied because you burned incense have sinned against the Lord and have not obeyed him to follow his law or his decrees or his stipulations. This disaster has come upon you like Judah, we may be tempted to double down on sinful choices that have landed us in trouble, relationship problems, we can be more aloof financial issues will spend our way to happiness pushed aside will be equally ruthless, but the idols that contributed to our problems can't save us. Only Jesus can carry us through our troubles as we turn to him today's Our Daily Bread devotional Scripture reading is from Jeremiah chapter 44 versus 16 through 18 and 20 through 23. We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord. We will certainly do everything we said we would. We will burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors are kings and our officials did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem at that time we had plenty of food were well off and suffered no harm, but ever since we stop burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her. We had nothing been perishing by sword and famine now picking up at verse 20 then Jeremiah said to all the people, both men and women were answering him did not the Lord.
Remember and call to mind the incense burned in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem by you and your ancestors, your kings and your officials and the people of the land. When the Lord could no longer endure your wicked actions and the detestable things you did your land became a curse and a desolate waste without inhabitants as it is today because you have burned incense have sinned against the Lord have not obeyed him or followed his law or his decrees or his stipulations. This disaster has come upon you as you now see (Jesus you are all we have.
Would rather fail with you then succeed without you in your name we pray. Amen.
Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread ministers
