As sweet as this pastry was, even sweeter was God’s grace that flowed through me toward the frustrations of that day. By the 5th obstacle, I had to laugh and tell those around me that surely something great was about to happen (it was inexplicable)! Sure enough, my team at work showered me with Boss’s Day gifts that were overwhelming (they had planned all this under my “watchful” eyes without me knowing). I felt like God’s encouraging presence was all around me. When we feel battered and pressed by inexplicable life circumstances, we should remember that our blessed hope has done something crazy good for us!!! – Teresa #Hedidthehardwork #nowwecanlive #thebestisyetocome #lyricsfredhammond

Titus 2:11-14 (ESV)

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

When the goats join forces to keep the wetland grass and bushes trimmed, we are blessed with a beautiful sight at sunrise! In this passage, God is encouraging Jeremiah to call out to Him. He reveals to Jeremiah a promise of healing and righteousness that would come to restore the land. Ultimately, a descendant of David was promised, a righteous Branch (Jesus, our Savior). As sure as the sun rises, God would do this amazing act for His people. If we are waiting for God in a difficult place, God invites us to also call upon Him and be encouraged. He has promises for us today that will be accomplished (in spite of our feeble human limitations). -Teresa #toGodbetheglory

Jeremiah 33:1-22 (ESV)

The Lord Promises Peace

33 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard: 2 “Thus says the Lord who made the earth,[a] the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: 3 Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. 4 For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah that were torn down to make a defense against the siege mounds and against the sword: 5 They are coming in to fight against the Chaldeans and to fill them[b] with the dead bodies of men whom I shall strike down in my anger and my wrath, for I have hidden my face from this city because of all their evil. 6 Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. 7 I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first. 8 I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me. 9 And this city[c] shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it.

10 “Thus says the Lord: In this place of which you say, ‘It is a waste without man or beast,’ in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man or inhabitant or beast, there shall be heard again 11 the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord:

“‘Give thanks to the Lord of hosts,

    for the Lord is good,

    for his steadfast love endures forever!’

For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the Lord.

12 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: In this place that is waste, without man or beast, and in all of its cities, there shall again be habitations of shepherds resting their flocks. 13 In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the Shephelah, and in the cities of the Negeb, in the land of Benjamin, the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, flocks shall again pass under the hands of the one who counts them, says the Lord.

The Lord’s Eternal Covenant with David

14 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

17 “For thus says the Lord: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, 18 and the Levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to make sacrifices forever.”

19 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 20 “Thus says the Lord: If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night will not come at their appointed time, 21 then also my covenant with David my servant may be broken, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and my covenant with the Levitical priests my ministers. 22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered and the sands of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the offspring of David my servant, and the Levitical priests who minister to me.”

Although we are blessed at times with sweetness beyond measure, the law of the Lord is even sweeter than honey. It revives our soul and makes us wise. We desire the truth and righteousness of your ways, Our Redeemer.- Teresa

Psalm 19: 7-14

7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;

8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;

9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.

13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. – Psalm 19:7-14

Proverbs 25:16 English Standard Version (ESV)

16 

If you have found honey, eat only enough for you,

    lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.

While visiting my mom, we went for dinner at the Pannekoeken Restaurant. It was really good food and reminiscent of her recipe for Finnish pancakes. This passage reminds me of how much God wants to meet all our needs according to His riches in glory. (Phil 4:19) When the God of Israel said, “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it”, I am encouraged to know that my busy work is not the end result of my life’s efforts. Rather, I hear God’s heart for us….to feed us with the finest of wheat and satisfy us with honey from the rock. Our job is to get rid of the things that compete for God’s position as Savior and Lord. You, Lord, amaze me with joy and abundance from your hand.- Teresa

Psalm 81:8-16 (ESV)

8

Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!

    O Israel, if you would but listen to me!

9 

There shall be no strange god among you;

    you shall not bow down to a foreign god.

10 

I am the Lord your God,

    who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

    Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11 

“But my people did not listen to my voice;

    Israel would not submit to me.

12 

So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,

    to follow their own counsels.

13 

Oh, that my people would listen to me,

    that Israel would walk in my ways!

14 

I would soon subdue their enemies

    and turn my hand against their foes.

15 

Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him,

    and their fate would last forever.

16 

But he would feed you[e] with the finest of the wheat,

    and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Flying into San Diego, I snapped this shot. The light shining on the hills along with the water in the distance and the wing of the plane in the foreground helped me to reflect on this passage. The Psalmist described God’s mighty works to the children of Israel. He delivered them (safe passage), he illuminated their way (pillar of fire), and he met their daily need (water). When you read the gospel of John, Jesus clearly proclaims his deity. He delivers us from sin (the way to the Father), he claims to be the light of the world (which helps us navigate through spiritual darkness), and he is the living water (eternally satiating our spiritual thirst). Will we trust his saving power? – Teresa #beamazed #besteadfast #befaithul #believe”panisangelicus”

Psalm 78

1

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;

    incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

2 

I will open my mouth in a parable;

    I will utter dark sayings from of old,

3 

things that we have heard and known,

    that our fathers have told us.

4 

We will not hide them from their children,

    but tell to the coming generation

the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,

    and the wonders that he has done.

5 

He established a testimony in Jacob

    and appointed a law in Israel,

which he commanded our fathers

    to teach to their children,

6 

that the next generation might know them,

    the children yet unborn,

and arise and tell them to their children,

7 

    so that they should set their hope in God

and not forget the works of God,

    but keep his commandments;

8 

and that they should not be like their fathers,

    a stubborn and rebellious generation,

a generation whose heart was not steadfast,

    whose spirit was not faithful to God.

9 

The Ephraimites, armed with[b] the bow,

    turned back on the day of battle.

10 

They did not keep God’s covenant,

    but refused to walk according to his law.

11 

They forgot his works

    and the wonders that he had shown them.

12 

In the sight of their fathers he performed wonders

    in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.

13 

He divided the sea and let them pass through it,

    and made the waters stand like a heap.

14 

In the daytime he led them with a cloud,

    and all the night with a fiery light.

15 

He split rocks in the wilderness

    and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.

16 

He made streams come out of the rock

    and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

17 

Yet they sinned still more against him,

    rebelling against the Most High in the desert.

18 

They tested God in their heart

    by demanding the food they craved.

19 

They spoke against God, saying,

    “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?

20 

He struck the rock so that water gushed out

    and streams overflowed.

Can he also give bread

    or provide meat for his people?”

21 

Therefore, when the Lord heard, he was full of wrath;

    a fire was kindled against Jacob;

    his anger rose against Israel,

22 

because they did not believe in God

    and did not trust his saving power.

23 

Yet he commanded the skies above

    and opened the doors of heaven,

24 

and he rained down on them manna to eat

    and gave them the grain of heaven.

25 

Man ate of the bread of the angels;

    he sent them food in abundance.

26 

He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,

    and by his power he led out the south wind;

27 

he rained meat on them like dust,

    winged birds like the sand of the seas;

28 

he let them fall in the midst of their camp,

    all around their dwellings.

29 

And they ate and were well filled,

    for he gave them what they craved.

30 

But before they had satisfied their craving,

    while the food was still in their mouths,

31 

the anger of God rose against them,

    and he killed the strongest of them

    and laid low the young men of Israel.

Footnotes:

a Psalm 78:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term

b Psalm 78:9 Hebrew armed and shooting

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

John 14:6 (ESV)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6

John 8:12 (ESV)

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12

John 4:10-14 (ESV)

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?

12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.”

13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,

14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” – John 4:10-14

John 6:35 (ESV)

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. – John 6:35

When I’m with one of my kids, I realize what a blessing the youth are. They challenge us with fresh and new perspectives, taking into account all that they’ve been taught. The prophet, Jeremiah, was a youth when God called him to speak up. He took into account what he had been taught, (saying that he was only a youth). In essence, God told him, “it didn’t matter- I’m the one calling you to speak”!! It takes courage to fly in the face of tradition. Did we do this when we were youths? Why does it surprise us when our children walk the God-ordained path set before them? – Teresa #chosen #uniquelyHis

Jeremiah 1:1-2:30 English Standard Version (ESV)

1 The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

The Call of Jeremiah

4 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

5 

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

and before you were born I consecrated you;

I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me,

“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’;

for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,

and whatever I command you, you shall speak.

8 

Do not be afraid of them,

for I am with you to deliver you,

declares the Lord.”