Jeremiah’s
message had been ignored. His faith was sorely tested. Despite all of
this, he was able to say, “Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord!” (Jeremiah
20:13). This was not his constant theme. In the very next verse, he
says, “Cursed is the day that I was born.” We are pulled this way and
that way by a turmoil of confused and confusing emotions. Our heart is a
battleground. May the Lord lift us out of depression and defeat. May He
lift us into vigour and victory.
“At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem”, the keynote of the service was joyful thanksgiving. They gathered together “to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving” (Nehemiah 12:27). “On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy” (Nehemiah 12:43). They sang “songs of praise and thanksgiving to God” (Nehemiah 12:46). This joyful thanksgiving is only a foretaste of the greater joy and thanksgiving of heaven: “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). In the city of God, “the glory of God” will be shining with everlasting brightness (Revelation 21:23). The Church of God will be “prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). The beautiful picture of the godly wife in Proverbs 31 gives us an outline of what God is seeking to do in His people. It is summarized in Proverbs 31:30: “A woman who fears the Lord is to be
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