The Promised Reward

 

Jeremiah 31:16a (NRSVue) - Thus says the Lord: Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work, says the Lord:

Jeremiah 31 talks about the joyful return of the exiles.

God’s people had endured hardship.

But God promised their return and renewal.

In John 16, Christ tells His disciples what they still had to face. 

They would be put out of the synagogues.

Christ reminded them there was more suffering to be endured.

But Christ also gave them a promise.

John 16:22 (NRSVue) - So you have pain now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

Believers today understand that while we live in this world, we will face difficulties.

The faithful also know that when we depart this world our suffering will be at an end,

Until then, we must remember that we do not face difficulties alone.

The triune God accompanies us on our journey.

It is easy to focus on pain, loneliness, suffering and persecution.

But we must never allow these things to convince us that we face them alone.

When we focus on God, we see that our burdens are shared.

We can then more clearly see the promise that lies ahead.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, June 3, 2024.

I will be back here on Friday, June 10, 2024

Provision in Abundance

 

Joel 2:26 (NRSVue) - You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.

The second part of Joel 2 is about God’s response and promise.

Part of that promise concerns God’s abundance.

The provision Christ offers is equally plentiful.

In Mark 6, Christ feeds five thousand with two fish and five loaves of bread.

Not only were the five thousand fed; they were filled.

Mark 6:41-42 (NRSVue) - Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled,

This example of Christ’s abundance is amazing.

It is the only one of His many miracles to be recorded in each of the four Gospels.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit give in abundance.

So much so that we often take this abundance for granted.

In fact, we often forget that literally everything we have comes from God.

Now is an excellent time to remember God’s abundant provision.

With His help, we might be more inclined to recognize this in the future.

Perhaps we might even acknowledge that all we have comes from Him.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, May 17, 2024.

I will be back here on Friday, May 24, 2024