DAILY BIBLE READING

 Aug 16: Jer 32-34
Aug 17: Jer 35-37
Aug 18: Jer 38-40; Ps 74/79
Aug 19: 2King 24-25; 2Chron 36
Aug 20: Habakkuk
Aug 21: Jer 41-45
Aug 22: Jer 46-48
Aug 23: Jer 49-50

NOTES ON THIS WEEK’S READINGS

·         This will be short – due to my time constraints!  First, as you read the end of Jeremiah, you’ll notice the reverse of Isaiah, in at least one important aspect.  Isaiah deals with other nations at the beginning of the book, then moves to Israel.  Jeremiah addresses other nations toward the end of the book.

·         The readings for August 19 are so very sad – the actual fall of Jerusalem.

·         Psalms 74 and 79 are the psalms that deal most directly with the fall of Jerusalem.

·         Habakkuk is addressed briefly in the devotions (below).  He fits the picture at this point (chronologically) because he believes (at first) it is so terribly unfair of God to punish Israel with a nation even worse than they are.  But watch how his faith is restored, and read chapter three especially against the backdrop of your own faith struggles.

DEVOTIONS

As of today, it’s official.  The “Thompson nest” is empty.  Our youngest daughter, Jeni, starts her job tomorrow as a music teacher in Columbus County, NC – WAY across the state.  She’ll be teaching in two middle schools.  Her older two siblings are still in graduate school, but living independently (and out of state!).

It all happened so fast.  Linda and I were gone for almost two weeks, and during that time Jeni was offered the job, accepted it, had her orientation, and found an apartment.  We helped her move into the apartment last Friday; then she came home for the weekend.  Tonight she will spend her first night in her new home.

The job Jeni was offered was not her first choice among those she interviewed for.  But I told her last week that the job Linda and I took after college was not our first choice.  And the first church we served after seminary was not our first choice.  Now, however, in retrospect, we wouldn’t change a thing.  God was working all things for our good.

Sometimes how God works is baffling.  Habakkuk certainly understood that.  He was puzzled first of all by God’s silence and inaction in response to his fervent prayers (1:2).  His complaint was that God tolerated injustice and violence among his people.

Finally, God answered.  But Habakkuk was only more perplexed by his answer.  God would act, yes he would.  He would send Babylon to punish Israel.  Babylon?  Think Nazi Germany; communist Russia; Taliban-led Afghanistan.

Habakkuk’s reflections, complaints, and prayers, and ultimately his firm resolutions of trust, are worthy of reflection.  “”The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him” (2:20).  When God doesn’t make sense, read Habakkuk.