“God Promises a New Covenant” Devo

November 22nd, 2020

Devotional

“God Promises a New Covenant”

                                     Jeremiah 36:1-8, 21-23, 27-28; then 31:31-34

Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com

Monday: “Write” - Jeremiah 36:1-3

We live in a world that has an abundance of words. They are written down on signs to catch our attention and advertise something to us when we drive down the road. They are in the books and magazines we read. They are spoken over the phone and on the TV. In a matter of minutes, I can have a message typed up to send to someone and it will arrive to them instantly. Words are everywhere. 

Not so in Jeremiah’s time. The words had to be written down on a scroll and then that scroll would need to travel to wherever it was to be read - usually to a group of people. Sometimes it was then passed on to travel again to another group of people. Words had power. 

Every time I think of words in scripture two things come to mind. The first is the care that the prophets took in hearing, composing and sending the Word of the Lord to the people God intended. The second is the saying from the Book of Revelation that says “write down these words for they are trustworthy and true.”

Jeremiah’s words, or rather the Word of the Lord communicated to Jeremiah for the sake of the people of Israel was also trustworthy and true. However, it was not a message that they wanted to hear - that they have fallen short. They had sinned. They had strayed. And now they had to turn from their evil ways. 

I have to wonder in the abundance of words that surround us today, if we would even notice if a Word from the Lord came to us. Would we hear? And how would we receive it?

  What are some ways that words are part of your daily life? How is the Word of the Lord part of your daily life?

Prayer: God, we thank you for your Word that pursues us. We thank you for the Word given to us in scripture. In the Word that you speak to our hearts today. And the Word that came into our lives in Jesus Christ. Lord, may your Word sink into our hearts and change us, we pray. Amen.

Tuesday: “Read” - Jeremiah 36: 4-8

Words in ancient times were rarely just for one person. Usually it was an event when a letter was read. Think of the letter of Paul to some of the early churches that have survived in our Scriptures today. Think of all of the people he often thanks at the end of a letter, presumably who will be hearing it. 

So it was with the words Jeremiah communicated from God. Because they were for the nation, he wanted as many people to hear them as possible, so we had Baruch go to the temple on a fast day and read them to everyone. To everyone who had traveled to the temple for that special day. 

Words matter. The Word of the Lord to Jeremiah deeply mattered. The future of Israel was at stake. I wonder what is of the upmost importance that we write it down to have people read them over and over again? For me one such message is “you are loved” - loved by Jesus. What is your message you want to have people hear?

What words that you have read have changed your life?

Prayer: Lord, we confess that sometimes we do not give words the respect they deserve. We do not heed your Word or pass it on to others. Forgive us, O Lord. Let us re-claim the place of your Word in our lives and share it with all we meet. Amen. 

Wednesday: “Consumed” - Jeremiah 36: 21-26

  However, words in and of themselves are not enough. We need to receive them in some way, shape, or form. This can often be tricky, because people can assume if we simply hear or read a word, then it is received, but as we can see in the example of the King in today’s passage, this was not the case. 

The King heard the Word of the Lord read from the scroll, but then he cut it up word by word and burnt it. The message was not received. 

In this particular passage of scripture, what struck me was the word “consumed.” The statement was made: “throw them into the fire in the brazier, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier.” Here, the fire consumed the words. But we can also consume the Word in our heart. When we let it take root and grow. Are you consumed by the Word of the Lord?

What is the difference between hearing or reading a word and receiving it?

Prayer: God, give us hearts that are open to your Word. Hearts that receive and respond. May your Word so take root in us that it flows out of us, O Lord, in all we do and say. Amen. 

Thursday: “Another” -Jeremiah 36: 27-28

  Unfortunately for the King, you cannot change or stop the Word of the Lord, simply because you cut it up and let the fire consume it. Instead, Jeremiah is told by God to write it all down again.

Sometimes we like to act like we can ignore the Word of the Lord, like the King. Maybe we do not go as far as he did to banish it, but we certainly do not heed it in our lives. Sure, we may read it, but we don’t want to let it examine us, call us to change, or call us to serve. 

But today’s passage reminds us that the Word of the Lord keeps going, no matter what. 

  How has the Word of the Lord persevered in your life?

Prayer: Lord, we thank you that you and your Word do not give up on us. Keep calling us to faithfulness, Precious Lord, we pray. Amen. 

Friday: “Write on Their Hearts” - Jeremiah 31: 31-34

  There are lots of places that we can see the Word of the Lord. It’s in our Bibles. I have some of my favorite verses hanging in my office. Some people have the words embroidered or painted on art work. For some, they hang it above their door posts. But Jeremiah declared that with the new covenant it will be written in another place - our hearts.

The heart is the tender place where we can truly be transformed by the Word of the Lord. It’s not just about what you know in your head, its about how it spills out from your heart into your life. 

God was speaking to the people of Israel about a heart transplant - something that would completely change them from the inside out. The Word of the Lord has the ability to change our lives in this way as well - if only we would let it. 

What do you think it means to have the word of the Lord written on our hearts?

Prayer: Lord, we want to move from being people with head knowledge to people with heart transformation. Lord, we give our hearts to you, this day. Amen. 

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “Daniel’s Hope in God” - Daniel 6:6-27