And …?

Posted on June 2, 2015 by America's Keswick in Freedom Fighters

And…?

And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan? Jeremiah 12:5b

I find myself in conversations with certain people who some would say are “long in the tooth”, or in other words, they like to talk. Just when I think the conversation is over I am detained with an “and”, which always denotes a continuation.

In Jeremiah chapter 12 the prophet starts off with a complaint, “why Lord”? “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?.”

I find that when someone comes to me with a complaint the best way to work through it is to reiterate the word “and”. It’s as if they answer their own complaint by coming to the end of themselves and either hitting a dead end or if they are putting their faith in God seeing that the end of all things is God. If we are trusting Jesus Christ for our eternity then tell me what is there that at the end of our dismay that He isn’t the answer for. If we are backed into a corner there is always a way out if we are committed to trusting God at His word.

Whatever our complaint is today if we line it up to the Word of God there is always an answer, even if it’s “trust Me” relying on a verse found in 1^st John 4:4 “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world”. If we can be brought to the end of ourselves and there’s nothing left but our faith then verses like this should comfort us.

I’m going through the book of Joshua since our theme verse this year is Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua has the daunting task of leading the people into the promise land, complaints and all. God commands Joshua to have 12 men carry 12 stones into their camp and stack them for a certain reason, “That this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Joshua 4:6.

I wonder if in days to come when the people would forget the way God delivered them and began to complain if Joshua pointed to the stones and said “And”?

So if you’re questioning the way things “seem” in your life, be “long in the tooth”, think about our theme verse at the Colony, “And the LORD, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed” Deuteronomy 31:8. Rob Russomano is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and serves full-time at America’s Keswick. You can email him at rrussomano@americaskeswick.org

Daily Bible Reading: Hosea 5-8; Matthew 18:21-35

Think About This: Preaching is of much avail, but practice is far more effective. A godly life is the strongest argument that you can offer to the skeptic. Hosea Ballou

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10