PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Jeremiah 27-28
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live.” (Jeremiah 27:17)
Imagine a Ukrainian prophet urging Ukraine to submit to and serve Putin.
I’m not in a place to say that this is God’s message for Ukraine today.
But as a Jesus follower I do hear echoes of Jeremiah’s message in Jesus.
We are not to fight or kill the ‘Caesars’ but to render them their due (Mark 12:17).
Jesus started a movement of subversive love, not a rebellion against enemies.
We pray for our governments, though we do not join them in their sinful ways.
Humble surrender does not mean we quietly tolerate injustice.
We humbly stand and speak up for the oppressed, like Jeremiah/Jesus did.
We graciously stand against harmful unjust behaviour, like Jeremiah/Jesus did.
God’s kingdom is restored with grace and goodness, not by force or rebellion.
Jesus is a prophet of peace whose word comes true (Jeremiah 28:9).
Though the powers he submitted to crushed him, they did not beat him.
What might God’s peace message be to Jesus followers in Ukraine today?
How might God’s peace message apply to us as Jesus followers where we are today?
PRAYER
Lord, you preached and practiced this way of peace and it came true for you! I don’t how how it applies in war-torn Ukraine, but help me to wrestle with what it means to me in the ‘conflicts’ I am in.
Lying prophets – Hananiah died for his false prophecies – prior to Hananiah’s prophecies, Jeremiah was warned what Hananiah would prophesy -Jeremiah was affirmed to be the true prophet. Lord help me to discern what is right and what is wrong. Make me wise by your Holy Spirit I pray! Help me to unpack the lies I hear, even among your servants! Help me to seek the truth via your HS and then how to respond – whether with voice and or action!
Be in tune with the word of the Lord. Listen to His word saying This is the way. Walk in it. Open ears and open heart to hear His voice. Lead by the Spirit in His way and not the world’s way. God is in charge and I can only see what He is doing today when I totally rely upon Him. As always I need Jesus to pilot me.
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me
Over life’s tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rock and treach’rous shoal.
Chart and compass come from Thee.
Saviour, pilot me.