110 Jeremian 22:13-17 King for a Day
JMD Devotional 110 Jeremiah 22:13-17 King for a Day
If you won some kind of contest or lottery, and the prize was for you to be 'king for a day'; what images come to mind? Wealth, power, pleasure? Is that what an elevated status is all about?
Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness and his [upper] chambers by injustice, who uses his neighbor's service without wages and does not give him his pay [for his work], Who says, I will build myself a wide house with large rooms, and he cuts himself out windows, and it is ceiled or paneled with cedar and painted with vermilion. Do you think that being a king [merely] means [self-indulgent] vying [with Solomon] and striving to excel in cedar [palaces]? Did not your father [Josiah], as he ate and drank, do justice and righteousness [being upright and in right standing with God]? Then it was well with him. He judged and defended the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Was not [all] this [what it means] to know and recognize Me? says the Lord. But your eyes and your heart are only for your covetousness and dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood, for oppression and doing violence.
With the position of power and authority come the mantle of responsibility to exercise justice, to protect the helpless, to do a greater good than the common man. Compared to the wretched 'commoners' of Bible times, we are all kings, having much more relative income and potential power to do good. But enough is never enough when it is misdirected.
Luke 12:13-15 (NIV) Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
Dear God,
I confess an inordinate desire for more material things and a dissatisfaction with what I have. Please forgive my ingratitude, and help me to want what I have. Godliness with contentment is great gain. Inspire me to use what resources, influence and power I have to benefit others and promote your Kingdom; to 'look out' for those with less; that your name be blessed. May it be evident that I truly know you by the nature of my priorities and my care for others.
Amen
All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)
If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to
my daily devotional, please forward.
jamesdinsmore_32907@yahoo.com
Short, concise, thought-provoking.
More features:
My Poetry
http://saintjamespoetry.blog.com/
(Some) of my Devotionals
http://recoverydevotional.blogspot.com/
If you won some kind of contest or lottery, and the prize was for you to be 'king for a day'; what images come to mind? Wealth, power, pleasure? Is that what an elevated status is all about?
Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness and his [upper] chambers by injustice, who uses his neighbor's service without wages and does not give him his pay [for his work], Who says, I will build myself a wide house with large rooms, and he cuts himself out windows, and it is ceiled or paneled with cedar and painted with vermilion. Do you think that being a king [merely] means [self-indulgent] vying [with Solomon] and striving to excel in cedar [palaces]? Did not your father [Josiah], as he ate and drank, do justice and righteousness [being upright and in right standing with God]? Then it was well with him. He judged and defended the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Was not [all] this [what it means] to know and recognize Me? says the Lord. But your eyes and your heart are only for your covetousness and dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood, for oppression and doing violence.
With the position of power and authority come the mantle of responsibility to exercise justice, to protect the helpless, to do a greater good than the common man. Compared to the wretched 'commoners' of Bible times, we are all kings, having much more relative income and potential power to do good. But enough is never enough when it is misdirected.
Luke 12:13-15 (NIV) Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
Dear God,
I confess an inordinate desire for more material things and a dissatisfaction with what I have. Please forgive my ingratitude, and help me to want what I have. Godliness with contentment is great gain. Inspire me to use what resources, influence and power I have to benefit others and promote your Kingdom; to 'look out' for those with less; that your name be blessed. May it be evident that I truly know you by the nature of my priorities and my care for others.
Amen
All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)
If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to
my daily devotional, please forward.
jamesdinsmore_32907@yahoo.com
Short, concise, thought-provoking.
More features:
My Poetry
http://saintjamespoetry.blog.com/
(Some) of my Devotionals
http://recoverydevotional.blogspot.com/
posted by James M. Dinsmore at 6:40 PM
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