DATE POSTED
Thursday, July 31, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa Apartment Homes, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read Jeremiah 35:18-19 in your Bible or click on it to read it online in the Good News Translation (GNT).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
I hope you’ve taken a moment to read the verses referenced above, as they’ll help you better grasp the context of this devotional.

I believe I had the best parents, but as I read this chapter today, I couldn’t help but compare the way my parents disciplined vs the way God handled it in our key verses today. What an awesome, patient and just God we serve! Consider God’s unexpected strategy: He used Jeremiah to arrange a hospitality-filled meeting with the Rechabite clan. Their unwavering obedience to their ancestor became a profound object lesson for Judah and Jerusalem.

Imagine the world’s reaction to believers today if God’s directives were followed with such radical obedience, even when it defies human logic!  There is no evidence that Jeremiah questioned God about why such a meeting was necessary or how he should conduct the meeting, he just did it. The methods Jeremiah used as a gracious host seem very comparable to our meetings today, for we strive to make our guests comfortable with an adequate supply of food and drink. But at the conclusion of this meeting, can’t you imagine Jeremiah scratching his head and wondering ‘what just happened?’, or ‘was that a productive meeting?’. In similar cases, we may question whether we misunderstood God’s instructions.

But fast forward to the message God gave to Jeremiah to share with the people in vs 12 and following. It was at this point that Jeremiah would have seen the purpose in his meeting with the Rechabite clan, for this encounter formed the basis for Jeremiah to explain how his people should respond to God in similar fashion to the practice of the Rechabite family.

Friends, if we trust God to orchestrate our lives, then full obedience to His calling is essential. But how do we do this? We don’t hear God giving us our direction for the day while we’re eating breakfast! Let me remind you that when one accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit takes up residence inside of us to be our Guide, Encourager, and our Protector from the evil one. For the believer who is in daily communion with God, reading and meditating on His Word, and communicating with God in prayer and devotion, God will achieve His purpose in our lives. When we recognize God, and fully depend on Him, He will make Himself known to us in ways we could never imagine. Can we explain and understand this fully? No, but if we sincerely believe that the Bible is true, then we know we can trust what it says. If God said it, we must believe that He is in control of what is going on and that He will direct our path to enable dedicated, committed representatives of the most high God here on earth. I have a personal experience I could give you of how God used an unexpected move by our family to save the lives of two other relatives in the years that followed. Let me encourage you to stop the busyness of life and reflect on your Christian walk. Use your experiences as confident assurance to encourage you on your journey knowing that Jesus is your Lord and the One who directs your path. Let it be an example to others in search of a trusted Father who loves His children and will guide their steps also, if they truly place their faith, trust and devotion in Him.

PRAYER
Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all that You have created, orchestrated, sacrificed, loved, guided and protected, who am I to be worthy of such a Savior, such a Lord and Almighty God? You knew what Jeremiah needed in order to reenforce his confidence to tell Your people of their sin, and of the God who is awesome in power and strength for their every need. This reminds me, and I believe it will reenforce Your goodness to Your people today as well. You know what we need, yet You are patient in our weakness and You wait to hear us in our humility come to the foot of the cross to bare ourselves of our guilt and shame due to our sin, guilt and unworthiness. Please Lord, do it again. Remind us daily of Your awesome power and that You have Your eye on us, just as You do the smallest sparrow. Please give us boldness to share Your touch on our lives so that others might want to know and experience our Lord, for we are reminded that there will come a day when the saved on earth will gather at Your feet for all eternity! Oh what a glorious day that will be. Thank You Jesus, for Your cleansing blood that washes all our sins away! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I pray that one of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin, or continue, your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org, or if you choose, subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, as you will also find that option on this page. Friends, I encourage you to find a Bible teaching church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian Walk while you invite God to work through you to bless them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!