Daily Manna 23 November
KEY VERSE: “And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.” – Jeremiah 31:17
READ: Jeremiah 31:15-26 (KJV)
15. Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
16. Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.
17. And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.
18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke; turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.
19. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh; I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.
20. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still; therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.
21. Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps; set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest; turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.
22. How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.
23. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.
24. And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks.
25. For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.
26. Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.
Read yesterday’s Daily Manna here
In most cases, weeping is a natural response to unpleasant, painful and undesirable situations. It also reflects a state of despair and despondence in the face of adversity. For many, however, weeping has turned to laughter. This is precisely what God has promised His people that weep.
Today’s passage starts with God’s recognition of the sorrowful state of Rachel because of her children. Obviously, this reflects the state of many parents, who are currently heartbroken and sorrowful not because their children are dead physically, but because they are deeply enmeshed in trespasses and sins.
The current state of moral decadence, peer pressure and dazzling sights of the world has taken many young folks out of the way of righteousness. They live in outright rebellion to the instructions of God and pleas of their parents.
The stark reality in many churches and homes today is the discovery of “…a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness” (Proverbs 30:12).
Are you presently suffering severe heartache and weeping as a parent because of your deviant children? Are you weeping as a pastor or church leader because of the height of rebellion and rejection of the Word by your congregation? Are you going through some seemingly difficult times that elicit weeping? Cheer up!
God might have spoken against you as He did to Ephraim because you disobeyed His instructions. Yet, He assures not to leave you nor forsake you (Genesis 28:15). He demands that you return to Him wholeheartedly and put your trust in Him at all times. As He intervened in Ephraim’s situation, God will certainly wipe away your tears for He has promised that your work “shall be rewarded…” (Jeremiah 31:16). But you must not give up in prayer and supplication.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Behind every cloud is a silver lining. Don’t give up.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 43-44
Thank you for studying today’s Daily Manna – There Is Hope – written by Pastor Enoch A.
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Daily Manna 23 November 2020
