We have a new organist for Sunday morning worship...
this was his first week... he'll be with us through the summer...
a newly graduated college student...
His opening prelude... was... something...
very loud...
very austere...
very threatening...
like the soundtrack of an old black and white horror movie...
It's not what I expected...
the intense mood music...
not the norm in worship...
Frankly... it made me uncomfortable...
but as I sat down to write this week's entry for
The Journey...
that's what came to mind...
Finishing up the book of Jeremiah...
reveals an awesome God...
who makes many in the church today... well... just that...
uncomfortable...
An awesome God... who destroys hard-hearted unbelievers... rebels... who refuse to repent... and drags their little ones away...
"...Behold, like a lion coming up from the thicket of the Jordan
against a perennial pasture, I will suddenly make them run away from her,
and I will appoint over her whomever I choose. For who is like me?
Who will summon me? What shepherd can stand before me?
Therefore hear the plan that the Lord has made against Babylon,
and the purposes that he has formed against the land of the Chaldeans:
Surely the little ones of their flock shall be dragged away;
surely there fold shall be appalled at their fate.
At the sound of the capture of Babylon the earth shall tremble,
and her cry shall be heard among the nations."
Jeremiah 50:44:-46 ESV
An awesome God... who when He speaks... stirs up awesome storms...
"It is he who made the earth by his power, who established
the world by his wisdom and by his understanding stretched
out the heavens. When he utters his voice there is a tumult
of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from
the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain
and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses. ..."
Jeremiah 51:15-16 ESV
An awesome God... who leaves the disobedient king of His people... in the hands of the king rebel...
But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook
Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him.
Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon
at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him.
The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes,
and also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah.
He put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in chains,
and the king of Babylon took him to Babylon, and put him in prison
till the day of his death.
Jeremiah 52:8-11 ESV
He is God... no one... can question His judgments... no matter how hard they seem...
This awesome God of vengeance and power... makes us uncomfortable... like severe organ music in Sunday morning worship...
But this is God...
the real God...
the One revealed in His Word...
I appreciate the stark music now... though I didn't until this moment...
thinking back on Jeremiah... who he revealed God to be...
One who keeps His Word... holds true to His promises... whose vengeance is just... who cannot be mocked...
The revelation of His awesome power and nature...
makes His love all the more awesome...
His salvation... incredible...
Open your heart to who He really is...
to who He says He is...
dare to begin... The Journey...
This week's readings...
Monday
1 Chronicles 2
Tuesday
1 Chronicles 3
Wednesday
1 Chronicles 4
Thursday
1 Chronicles 5
Friday
1 Chronicles 6:1-34
