Our Hope and Savior is Jesus

O. T. #1758  "Our Hope and Savior is Jesus"
August 18, 2020
Jeremiah 14
O the hope of Israel, the savior thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? (verse 8)

LET IT GLOW

We have had a shock the last few days. Two people from our last church passed away. One was suddenly and unexpected with a heart attack or stroke, the wife of a deacon and good friend. The other was expected with cancer taking him, our youth director. Both are hard realities for the families to face. So please pray for us and those families today as we attend both funerals. My husband is officiating one.

We know that death is eventually coming for all of us. So we must be prepared for our eternity as we meet Jesus face to face. Judah thought they were okay spiritually, but God knew better.

Here is the fifth message Jeremiah gives-God is sending a dearth [restraint (of rain); drought] on Judah. It was during a time of war and famine that Jeremiah spoke the word of the LORD. (verse 1) The was the consequences of the people's sins. Jeremiah's heart still ached when his folks were suffering, although he predicted it would come. Their cisterns were empty, so people, animals, and grass all lacked water, as well as the cracked land. They were ashamed and confounded. (verse 3)

In verse 7, the people admitted their wickedness had caught up with them. They asked the Lord for help for the sake of His own reputation. They had turned away for God and sinned against His again and again.

In verse 8, what did the people call God?

• Hope, (miqve/mik-vay') which means  something waited for, in the Hebrew language;
• Saviour, (yasha/yaw-shah'), refers to deliverer, rescue, defend.

Is Jesus your Hope and Savior? He wants to be today. Have you turned to Him?

LET IT GROW

The people began to cry out to God in their suffering and expressed what sounded like genuine repentance. (verses 7-9)They admitted that they had been very sinful and rebellious, and called God the Hope of Israel and their Savior. (verse 8) They reminded God that they carried His name and pled with Him to save them on that basis if for no other reason. (Tony Evans)

So how did God respond? He said that they wandered far from Him and did not restrain themselves. Therefore, He would no longer accept them as His people. He would remember all their wickedness and punish them for their sins. (verse 10)

God saw into their hearts. He was finished with them and the sword, famine, plague, and captivity was God's judgment. Their pleadings was a little too late. (A faithful remnant had to endure those things, too.)

Dear one, there is not always going to be time for repentance. God calls folks to salvation just so many times and then withdraws His Spirit. Today is the day of salvation. When He calls, answer.
Maybe we should wake up our lost family members with reality that death is inevitable for all of us.

LET IT GO
We are an overcomer when Jesus is living inside of us.
There is nothing He can't do.
God is holding you right now, even when you feel hopeless.
Don't quit, don't give in; you're an overcomer.