A hope that does not Change

Read Jeremiah 45.

How would you respond if you knew your dreams would never come true?  Would you still trust the LORD?  Dr. Crawford Loritts asked such haunting questions in a Sunday morning sermon.

According to the details found in chapter 36, God gave direct messages to Jeremiah.  Then, Jeremiah's assistant, Baruch, took dictation to record what God said.  Repeatedly, listening to and writing down words of impending judgment became a burdensome task.  Even more, Baruch personally experienced the loss of everything.  He watched as God's word came true.

"What about me?"  He faithfully served God and Jeremiah.  And, now what did he have to show for it.  The emotional and spiritual pain caused him to "find no rest."

If our hope is in the circumstances of our lives going well, we will live in disappointment and disillusionment.  People will let us down.  Money will be spent.  All things will eventually change.  And, at best, this life is only temporal.  When the world around us is falling apart, we must have a hope that does not change and may be found eternally trustworthy.

God reminded Baruch that He is sovereign.  The world is His creation and He can do as pleases Him.  He has a plan and He is working that plan.  And, through it all, including the war, Baruch's temporal reward will be the sparing of his life.  This was meant to encourage this faithful man and bring him joy in midst of adversity.

Looking down will always be depressing.  Looking up to see life from God's perspective revives our faith.