Thoughts for troubled times - 9

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Therefore, God-of-the-Angel-Armies says:
"Watch this!
I'll melt them down and see what they're made of.
What else can I do with a people this wicked?
Their tongues are poison arrows!
Deadly lies stream from their mouths.
Neighbor greets neighbor with a smile,
'Good morning! How're things?'
while scheming to do away with him.
Do you think I'm going to stand around and do nothing?"
God's Decree.
"Don't you think I'll take serious measures against a people like this?

Book of Jeremiah 9:7-9
The Message

Thoughts for troubled times - 8

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You trust in deceptive words to no avail.

Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to false gods...

and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say

"We are saved! We are delivered!"

-only to go on doing all these abominations!

Thoughts for troubled times - 7

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For if you truly amend your ways and your doings,

if you truly execute justice one with another,

if you do not oppress the alien,

the fatherless

or

the widow,

or

shed innocent blood in this place,

and if you do not go after other goods to your own hurt,

then

I will let you dwell in this place,

in the land that I gave of old to your fathers for ever.

Book of Jeremiah 7: 5-7

Thoughts for troubled times - 6

Stand by the roads, and look,

and ask for the ancient paths,

where the good way is;

and walk in it,

and find rest for your souls.

The Book of Jeremiah 6:16

Thoughts for troubled times - 5

. ...from the least to the greatest of them,

every one is greedy for unjust gain;

and from prophet to priest,

every one deals falsely.

They have healed the wound of my people lightly,

saying, 'Peace, peace,'

when there is no peace.

Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?

No, they were not at all ashamed;

they did not know how to blush.

Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;

at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown

The Book of Jeremiah 6: 13-15

Thoughts for troubled times - 4

...this people has a stubborn and rebellious hear;

they have turned aside and gone away.

They do not say in their hearts,

'Let us fear the Lord our God,

who gives the rain in its season,

the autumn rain and the spring rain,

and keeps for us

the weeks appointed for the harvest.'

Your iniquities have turned these away,

and your sins have kept good from you.

The Book of Jeremiah 5:23-25

Vernal Equinox 2008

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Christine at The Abbey of the Arts has called for poetry and other writing about the Equinox. Here below is my contribution:

VERNAL EQUINOX
UTC 080922 15.44

It happened last night:
AEST 080923 01.44.

It came in southern darkness
To say that summer isn’t far away.
It came in the sleepy midnight
To say that winter really would go
And the sun would come to stay.

This is my true herald of hope.
The depression and gloom of winter go
Replaced with hope and blossoming life
And a knowledge that sun and heat
Will cleanse my soul
And joy it into play.

Thoughts for troubled times - 3

Whether we like it or not, one way or another, we are called to account for our actions.

It almost certainly will happen in our own lifetime.

It certainly will happen when this lifetime is oveer.

~~~~~~~~~

Your ways and your doings

have brought this upon you.

This is your doom, and it is bitter;

it has reached your very heart.

The Book of Jeremiah 4:18

Thoughts for troubled times - 2

Jeremiah dictating to Baruch.

Picture from The Evolution of Jeremiah.

What wrong did your fathers find in me
that they went far from me,
and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?
……
And I brought you into a plentiful land
to enjoy its fruits and its good things.
but when you came in you defiled my land,
and made my heritage an abomination.
……..
Has a nation changed its gods,
even though there are no gods?
but my people have changed their glory
for that which does not profit.
be appalled, O heavens, at this,
be shocked, be utterly desolate,
says the Lord.

The Book of Jeremiah 2: 5, 7, 10-12

Thoughts for troubled times - 1

There are many things happening in our world

to give us pause for thought

environment and sustainability

surfeit and hunger

consumerism and financial security

individualism and community

war and peace.

While the problems abroad in the world may be new to this generation, the nations and peoples of the world have been troubled before. And, if the Lord tarries in His coming, such troubles may come again.

In this light, I thought it might be time to go back to another troublesome period in history, and look to some of the words of that period. So, beginning with this post, we will pay some brief visits to the words of Jeremiah. I hope these words can be taken to your heart, store there, reflected on, and perhaps they - in turn - will lead to further reading and reflection. Indeed, these are meant to be thoughts for The Journey.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

".......I am watching over my word to perform it"

God's words to Jeremiah as a young man

Reported in The Book of Jeremiah 1: 11