Look up!

Today: Jeremiah 46-48

Yesterday's post and much of the content of today's passage may have felt a little bit...depressing. But I assure you that there are definitely some bright spots.

In much of today's reading, God was dishing out prophesies of destruction on the nations that chased idols and sin instead of Him. Much of the passage felt like a message of, "Look out!" But this excerpt addressed to His people was different:

But you, dear Jacob my servant,

you have nothing to fear.

Israel, there's no need to worry.

Look up!

I'll save you from that far country,

I'll get your children out of the land of exile.

Things are going to be normal again for Jacob,

safe and secure, smooth sailing.

Yes, dear Jacob my servant,

you have nothing to fear.

Depend on it, I'm on your side.

I'll finish off all the godless nations among which I've scattered you,

But I won't finish you off.

I have more work left to do on you.

I'll punish you, but fairly.

No, I'm not finished with you yet."

I love that God's instruction to His people is not to, "Look out!" or live in fear--it's to, "Look up!" and trust Him no matter what.

In The Message version, this excerpt talks about "smooth sailing" for God's people, but I don't think it's the smooth sailing we humans would typically envision. God mentions work that He has left to do on His people and He also mentions punishment (a word that would be absent from most of our definitions of "smooth sailing"). I think the smooth sailing He's referring to is the fact that He's always there--ultimately guiding the ships of His people (to carry out the analogy a bit). God's people don't need to live in fear because He's always with us. If you feel afraid, discouraged or disappointed, I encourage you to follow His advice--"Look up!"

Tomorrow: Jeremiah 49-50

How low can you go?

Today: Psalm 40-45

I've said it before and I'll probably say it again as we read through Psalms: David was a passionate guy. Passionate people can sometimes feel REALLY high highs...and REALLY low lows. In David's writing, we can see that come through a bit--but in David's defense, he went through some really amazing stuff and some really terrible stuff, too.

Today's chapters feature a few of David's low moments, but even in the middle of them, I think his perspective is interesting. Check it out:

Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?

Why are you crying the blues?

Fix my eyes on God—

soon I'll be praising again.

He puts a smile on my face.

He's my God.

Even while in the middle of being down in the dumps, David tried to encourage himself about God's goodness--he knew the value of focusing on God instead of just focusing on himself or his challenges. There are moments for tears and sadness, but focusing on who God is and the blessings He provides can help us to smile again.

Tomorrow: Psalm 46-50

Gone fishin'

Today: John 19-21

I don't know what it is about fishing, but some people absolutely LOVE it. They find it relaxing. Satisfying. Peaceful.

For others, fishing is work. It can be boring. It can take hours. Sometimes there are no results. Fishing can even be dangerous. (My Dad sometimes watches a show called "Deadliest Catch" that illustrates that point pretty well!)

But even though it may be dull or dangerous, real fishermen (and women) can't imagine NOT fishing.

Fishing is discussed in the Gospels quite a bit. When Jesus first met some of His disciples, they were fishing--some of them earned a living that way and left their jobs to follow Him.

Today I noticed that the last time Jesus saw some of the disciples (after His resurrection), they were fishing again.

Does that seem significant to anyone else?

As a writer, when I see the repetition of a similar situation in a story or movie (think the little girl in red in "Schindler's List" or the color red in "The Sixth Sense"), it usually means something. In this case, I had a few interesting observations about the meaning of this fishing scenes, some of which are explicitly shown in the text.

• When Jesus first meets the disciples fishing, He calls them to follow Him. When He sees them fishing after the resurrection, He's calling them again...to lead.
  
• The first time Jesus calls the disciples, they leave their work and their jobs as fishermen. I have no idea what that meant to their family budgets, but I'm guessing it wasn't easy. In contrast, when Jesus sees the disciples fishing after His resurrection, He performs a miracle and helps them obtain 153 big fish--probably a nice boost to their incomes. I love this because it shows how God takes care of (even the practical) the needs of His people.
  
• When Jesus first met the disciples, He basically asked them to stop fishing. In this second example, He instructs them to start fishing...for men (people).

I think fishing for people may be like fishing for...well, fish.

Sometimes, it's very rewarding--you realize that you played a part in helping someone know God or His love. You make a difference in a life and another person is changed forever.

Other times, it's exhausting. You may listen, love, encourage or serve someone else without ever seeing the results or benefiting yourself.

And I won't beat around the bush...sharing love and God with people can be dangerous. Some have literally died doing it and others have been devastatingly hurt (physically and/or emotionally).

But can you imagine NOT fishing for people? Not loving people? Not a chance.

Tomorrow: Acts 1-3