[Faith-talk] Good Night Message for Thursday, April 12, 2012

[Paul]

Good evening folks, at least those of us residing in North America.  I hope and pray that your day went well and that, by God's matchless grace and His providential care, that you will have a good night's sleep and rest and will, with His unfailing help, be emboldened tomorrow to resume the work which He has destined you to do.

The Scripture passage for this evening is from a book of the Bible which is perhaps not known for its cheerfulness and encouragement.  However, as we all probably know, the Bible is filled with treasures that have yet to be mined.  Take for example the passage I have picked out for you this evening.  It's from chapter 31 of the book of Jeremiah, verses 7-12 which, in the New King James Version, is rendered as follows: "For thus says the LORD: Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, O LORD, save Your people, the remnant of Israel! Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the ends of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and the one who labors with child, together; a great throng shall return there.  They shall come with weeping, and with supplications I will lead them.  I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, in a straight way in which they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn.  Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd does his flock.  For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of one stronger than he.  Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, streaming to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat and new wine and oil, for the young of the flock and the herd; their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, and they shall sorrow no more at all."

So much for the so-called "weeping prophet," as some have labeled this prophetic book.  And while the majority of it may be like that, what you just read and several other places are just the opposite.

And now let us all retire or prepare to retire for our nightly ritual/habit of going to sleep, with the assurance that our triune God is with us.  Your Christian brother, Paul Barnabas.