word from 11-10-12 ~ Last week as I was reading Jeremiah 45, I felt verses 4 and 5 were a word from the Lord ~
“I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted, throughout the land. Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.”
These words had come back to mind several times since, including this morning (referring to Saturday) as Jesse and I were in different rooms seeking the Lord. So I continued to ask the Lord if this was truly a word from Him.
In the early afternoon, Jesse asked me if I wanted to hear what he got from the Lord that morning. He then read this to me from his journal:
“Today I read Jeremiah 45 – a short chapter, but one which bears some interesting encouragement. Baruch, who is Jeremiah’s scribe, has evidently been complaining about his workload. He had said, “Woe to me! The Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I am worn out with groaning and find no rest.” … it seems apparent that Baruch could use a little encouragement. God’s encouragement to him, though, is not exactly what I would have expected. If I were called upon to encourage someone in this situation, I would probably find out something about how long the project was expected to last and give some verbal encouragement by pointing out the distance covered or brevity of the remaining distance. But no, in this case, God informs him that his reward for his assignment is his very life. God says “I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted, throughout the land. Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.”
I did not immediately recognize the chapter Jesse was reading as being the same one I had received, but when he got to verses 4-5 I gasped out loud. I told him I’d read the same passage last week and felt verses 4-5 were a word from the Lord. Now I knew the Lord was confirming this word. Jesse continued reading what he’d written,
“The part that is highlighted for me is where God says ‘Should you then seek great things for yourself?’ It sounds to me as if God is implying that Baruch is too concerned about what he’s having to endure to fulfill his task. God is correcting him for complaining about not getting rest and being worn out. He knows he needs to stay focused on finishing his assignment and that once this destruction occurs, concern for self could cause Baruch to lose focus on his purpose and be concerned with self-preservation. I think God wants him to understand better the gravity of what they are about to experience. In essence He is telling him, “Just be thankful you’ll still be alive after all is said and done!”
“Baruch was an essential part of the process of getting God’s word out through Jeremiah to those who needed to hear it, and having those words inscribed forever through the written word we have today. He likely did not realize the importance of his assigned task. We may have to suffer for a while in order to accomplish what God is purposing through us. But our job is to press through whatever circumstances arise that would attempt to distract us or deter us from the task at hand. If it was easy to do, then God could have asked any number of people to do it. But He assigned it to you because He knows that with His help, you have every tool needed to complete the task, remaining focused on His purposes, and ignoring whatever temporary discomfort may arise in the process. You may not even understand the severity or impact that your task will have on the future. But trust God to have your back and safeguard you while you finish His assignments. He’ll take care of the ‘rest.’“
We knew this was a word from the Lord. It would be a gross understatement to say the past 2 years have been intense. And now that it’s been revealed that the urgency of the assignment is not going to lighten there has been a temptation to wonder what life will look like from here on and whether we will see the seasons of rest we’ve longed for this side of the Lord’s coming reign. But God has clearly told us “There is no time to faint!”
As I prayed about posting this word, I believe the Lord spoke something else to me. He reminded me of the president’s words which outraged many ~ “You didn’t build that.” I felt He showed me this is, again, the natural mirroring what’s happening in the spiritual realm. After giving us warnings and time to repent, the election showed how many in our nation are still rejecting Him, His Word, His Truth, and our Christian foundations. In doing so, they are, in essence, saying to Him, “You didn’t build this (nation)!” Thus, the Lord’s response,”I will overthrow what I HAVE BUILT and uproot what I HAVE PLANTED….” He brought back to remembrance the word He gave me from Ezekiel 17 (“Two Eagles and a Vine“).
As I asked the Lord about the full implications of these words, He rushed in again Saturday and Sunday to give us more words of assurance of His faithful, loving, perfect watchfulness, care and provision for His children as we seek and follow Him. His people need this engraved in our hearts and minds no matter what happens in our circumstances.
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Lord, help us not to be weary in doing Your will, but to keep our eyes fixed on You and the joy set before us. Continue to strengthen us with Your power in our innermost being, causing Your iron to enter our souls, so we will endure hardship and warfare as good soldiers with boldness and courage, continually pushing back the kingdom of darkness and advancing Your Kingdom of Light. Help us have single-minded focus and commitment to train and run our race like professional athletes who will win the gold. Help us work wholeheartedly like farmers, as You’ve told us, to till the ground, plant and water the seed, and bring in the full harvest. Let every heart be made good soil that will receive and retain the seed of Your Word, that it will never be stolen, uprooted or choked out by the enemy, but will produce the hundred-fold harvest of righteousness in every life. May each one of Your children daily draw close to You, be daily filled with Your Spirit, and truly know You as much as You can be known this side of perfection. Let us be sensitive to Your voice at all times and hear with crystal clarity all You have specifically called and assigned us to do in this time. Help us be DOERS of what You say, not to be deceived by only hearing, but never following through. May every gifting, calling, anointing and appointment be activated, stirred up and on fire in each of us, and come forth in full measure that Your people may reach our full potential in You. We believe to see Your desire fulfilled that Your people will reach unity in the faith and attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Help us faithfully, fearlessly set our faces like flint and FINISH our assignments by the power of Your Spirit, no matter how challenging, no matter the risks or opposition, and no matter the time, effort or cost. No matter what happens, help us all be deeply and securely rooted and established in faith and trust in Your provision and care so we will never be shaken, even when all else is. Help us forget about ourselves and truly live out what Paul said that “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” so we will be emptied of self, filled to overflowing with You, and completely consumed with You and Your will, fearlessly doing the great exploits You’ve called us to do. By You living in us and through us, help us leave NOTHING undone that You’ve told us to do, to possess the entire land, to finish the work You’ve given us, and to hear “Well done good and faithful servant (and beloved bride who has made herself ready)” when we see You face to face! We ask this in the Power of Jesus’ Name!
