Choosing Trust for Joy

Scripture: For this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I am about to eliminate from this place, before your very eyes and in your time, the sound of joy and gladness, the voice of the groom and the bride ... However, if you listen to me—this is the Lord’s declaration—and do not bring loads through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on it, kings and princes will enter through the gates of this city. They will sit on the throne of David; they will ride in chariots and on horses with their officials, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem. This city will be inhabited forever. Jeremiah 16:9 and 17:24-25

Observation: The prophesies given through Jeremiah declare the destruction of Jerusalem and exile of Judah, however they sometimes offer a way back from the brink (which the people don't observe). One such time is a simple message given by Jeremiah while stationed at the People's Gate of the city. The offer of redemption - a way to be forgiving and avoid the promised punishments - was actually easy to understand and observe. It was to ... obey the Sabbath. In fact, obedience was made even easier, as it was defines as just not carrying loads in and out of the city.

Sabbath has always been a key element of the Lord's commands for his people. It is based on trust. If believers trust in the Lord, they can fully rest on the Sabbath knowing that nothing will go wrong because the Lord will provide and take care of them. In this case, that trust could now be exhibit by not taking loads in and out of the city, or in other words not conducting trade. There was no need to conduct import/export for one day a week.

And the issue to be avoided was not just the destruction of the city, but the emotional destruction of the people. Jeremiah is being told to not marry or have children. He is told that no one is to mourn the dead or celebrate marriage because all the people will be forsaken by God anyway. And beside famine and violent death, what does "forsaken" look like for the living? It looks like ... the removal of all joy and gladness.

The choice is put before all the people and leaders of Jerusalem. They may either take a day of rest and thus live with joy, OR work all the time and suffer without any hope or happiness. They chose the latter.

Application: This remains, of course, the choice given to all people today. We may choose to trust in the Lord, and the reward will be joy and happiness and contentment. We may instead choose to trust in our own skills and work and decision-making, and the reward may be human-defined success, but it will be joyless and unfulfilling.

I choose to trust in the Lord. I desire joy in my life. In fact, I find more and more that what I really want is just that, joy and gladness and contentment. I desire that far more than rich food or another trip. That said, while both those things bring me joy, it is possible they will manifest as my joy.

Prayer: Lord, may more people trust in you every day. May intentional Sabbath become the norm, not self-reliant industriousness. Amen.