Jeremiah
The one thing necessary for true change (Jer 31:1-26)
Jer 31:1-26 One time, a friend shared how much she longed for her dad’s approval. As a middle child she had always felt a bit passed over and her father was so busy with work that he had little time…
God’s way of bringing about transformation (Jeremiah 30)
Jer 30:1-24; Jer 31:1 How can a good God allow so much suffering in the world? This is a crunch point for many who reject the Christian God. Yet, when we look at our lives, it is often periods of…
How to find peace when life is hard (Jeremiah 29)
Jer 29:1-32 When my husband and I decided to move to New Zealand, it was originally my suggestion, but by the time the Lord opened the way, I was less than convinced that I could make the adjustments needed. In…
How to recognise God’s voice (Jeremiah 28)
Jer 28:1-17 A month or two after I started my first job, a colleague from another department visited our office. It was the first time I met him, and he said to me that he saw a great opportunity in…
Submitting to God’s will or not? (Jeremiah 27)
Jer 27:1-22 Despite modernity’s conviction that religion and belief in God would eventually disappear, many today seek to reconnect with a spiritual reality. However, spirituality seems mostly to be a desire to have some personal experience of the divine or…
Knowing how to respond to God’s Word (Jeremiah 26)
Jer 26:1-24 At a retreat with my church shortly after I came to faith, I received a verse of Scripture. The leaders wrote different ones on cards and handed them out randomly at the end of the conference. They sincerely…
Learning about God’s justice in the world II (Jer 25:15-38)
Jer 25:15-38 Today we continue our reflections on God’s justice (see my last post Learning about God’s justice in the world I.). Tragedy and difficulties in life can shake our faith in God. It is as if the Lord had…
Learning about God’s justice in the world I. (Jer 25:1-14)
Jer 25:1-14 Judgment is not a popular topic, and many feel a tension between God’s love and grace and the idea that He might judge. At the same time, it is interesting how much the concept of justice has gained…
How to understand God’s intent through events? (Jeremiah 24)
Jer 24:1-10 After the Christchurch earthquakes some Christians insisted that the city suffered terribly because the people there were more sinful than the rest. This is a common connection made between tragic events and God’s judgment and the Old Testament…
How to discern true prophecy from false? (Jer 23:23-40)
Jer 23:23-40 In my last post, I focused on the person who speaks for God (see How to tell false prophets from true ones?), today I will look at the messages spoken. Although this section on false prophets (Jer 23:9-40)…