|
|
| Information |
|
|
Flaming Fire Within Our Bones
Jeremiah was certainly one of the most distinguished notables of the Old Testament. To read his messages and experiences is to become acquainted with a great servant of God. I believe he revealed more of his inner feelings and personal reactions toward God and man, than did any other prophet or prophetess in Old Testament times. He was a young man of approximately 21 years of age when he accepted his divine calling to minister to the nations. But Jeremiah lived in very bad times, times not too unlike our own. On the political front there was a great power struggle going on between the super structures. Assyria had occupied the leadership for some three centuries but now, she was weakening. Babylon was ascending in power and Egypt too, was striving for the position of world master. Socially and religiously, conditions were rapidly declining. God's chosen nation had forsaken Him. They ignored the instructions as given to them by Moses and had turned instead to idolatry and harlotry. They abused the temple and yet, they mistakenly assumed that God's presence was still with them. But at some moment in that strange transformative time of history, Jeremiah (and others) had heard God's call and responded. For Jeremiah, this meant that he had to leave the comfortable life he had made for himself. He had to relinquish all that had been safe and secure and respectable to become a spokesman and representative of God. Well, Jeremiah performed his job. He had worked a long time and suffered much to discourage him. He had been beaten, imprisoned, ridiculed, mocked, publicly humiliated, betrayed by close friends, plotted against and made the target of revenge. Surely we can understand his eventual collapse under the pressure. Jeremiah sunk into a state of despair when the world into which he was sent persecuted him. He permitted his zeal in the service of the Lord to be eclipsed by the magnitude of his troubles. He was strife worn, struggle weary, and tired out from trying to fix a sinning, degenerating society. His vision was out of focus; his view wasn't clear for him anymore. And so he slips into a state of depression and like Job, cursed the day he was born. That is what discouragement does to us. It obscures faith and prostitutes strength. It brings despair and depression so that it is difficult even to relate to God. But in passing, I have noticed something peculiar under the sun. I have noticed that most of us are inclined to live in terms of our feelings. We have ego problems. I suggest this because it seems as long as things progress the way we wish them to, we have a zest for living and doing. As long as life runs smoothly and our work is appreciated, then we are satisfied and pacified and gratified. As long as life is a bowl of roses, even God gets to stand in our good graces. But when circumstances are adverse we are ready to quickly point a righteous finger of blame at God or wave the white banner of surrender. When the black clouds of troubles hover over our home and all is well turns to all is hell, too many of us are ready to throw the towel in before the battle has even begun. Jeremiah was indeed human like the rest of us. And even though he shared our tendency to allow our darkened world to discourage us and distort our perspective he was yet keenly sensitive to the fact that God had called him to a service. He said, "God's word was in my heart as a burning fire, shut up in my bones and I cannot hold my peace." I can understand Jeremiah because I am Jeremiah. I understand what happens to you when the Word gets in you; you forget yourself. You find the patience to run this race. You cannot sit back and feel sorry for your pitiful self. You must "work the works of Him that sent you while it is day, the night cometh when no man can work," You cannot hold your peace because God's word cannot be contained. When God's word gets in you, you have got to tell somebody what He has done for you. You must speak it, write it, sing it, hand-sign it, preach it through musical instruments. It is like a flaming fire within our bones that eternally burns and will not let us rest. It was God's burning word that drew those long ago people out of their secure places. And God's compelling word is calling us today out of our easy places to heal the sin-sick work. When I would give up and run and hide someplace, the fire within burns: You are the light of the world, a city set on a hill cannot be hid. When I would keep silent and retreat into my secure world, the fire within burns: You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its savor how can it be restored? When I would throw the towel in and go off to myself somewhere, the fire within burns: rescue the perishing, care for the dying, lift up the fallen, encourage the young. When I would resign from my calling, I feel a fire burning within me. It is the same fire that made Abraham and Sarah leave their family and friends and home to go forth without maps or guides. It is the same fire that made Ruth break with her corporate history to dwell among a foreign people. It is the same fire that made Mother Theresa leave all and go into foreign missionary work. It is the same fire that made Mary Bethune devote her life to wiping out illiteracy among Blacks. It is the same fire that motivated Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. to preach peace in the midst of violent and hostile environments. It is the same fire?.. Be encouraged today my friends. Lay aside every weight that so easily beset us and let us join together and run on. Let us run this race with perseverance, determination, with God's word burning in our bones. Let us run until like King, we can say, "I have been to the mountain top and I have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord." Let us run on until like Paul we can say, "I have fought a good fight, I stayed on the battlefield, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." Be encouraged today to keep running. Let us run together until we cannot run anymore yet, with God's burning word burning in our hearts. Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, veteran social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach which can be reviewed on her site. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, is expected to be available in July. You are welcome to visit AMEN Ministries: Your Soul's Service Station for spiritual refreshing, soul edification, to browse our newly expanded mini shopping mall or to peruse our recommended books. Blessings to all!
Latest News:Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news News Corp exec becomes chief of Germany's Premiere (Reuters via Yahoo! News) News Corp's chief financial officer for Europe and Asia has been named chief executive of German pay television group Premiere, following the resignation of Michael Boernicke, Premiere said on Wednesday. News Corporation to redevelop London Wapping site (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation is to redevelop its Wapping site in London, moving all its UK businesses, including News International, Harper Collins, MySpace and Dow Jones, under one roof. UPI NewsTrack Entertainment News (UPI) Chesney nominated for 7 CMAs ... Hoffman: I'm not playing Penguin ... 'RocknRolla' No. 1 at U.K. box office ... Jessica Simpson stops song on 'GMA' ... News from United Press International. DailyMe: News tailored to your individual tastes (The Christian Science Monitor) Column: Custom news websites come and go, but this one gets it right. Sarah Palin docu wins record ratings for Fox News (Reuters via Yahoo! News) In a week of records surrounding the Republican National Convention, Fox News Channel earned another one with its weekend documentary on vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. MySpace ad business ahead of target: News Corp (Reuters via Yahoo! News) News Corp's (NWSa.N) MySpace advertising business is operating ahead of expectations and its digital ad business is performing better than the marketplace, the company's chief operating officer said on Tuesday. STOCKS NEWS EUROPE-Erdemir shares fall on iron ore prices (Reuters via Yahoo! Malaysia News) STOCKS NEWS Reuters Results diary News Buzz: Recreating the Big Bang, Gates Urges Slow Iraq Drawdown, Ike Gains Strength (US News & World Report) Top news from the Associated Press For consumers, good news down the line (Sun-Sentinel) Whether you buy a new iPod or not, there may be good news for you in Apple's release of new iPods on Tuesday . Fox News Vaults To Top Of Primetime Ratings (MultiChannel News) Who says no one watches political conventions? Fox News Channel?s coverage of GOP Presidential nominee John McCain?s Sept. 4 acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention drew 9.2 million viewers, topping all other basic cable shows last week, according to Nielsen Media Research data. Site: news - Google News News Analysis A Difficult Road Awaits Panetta at the CIA - New York Times
MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for inspirational Inspirational Experts in Fashion, Cuisine and Lifestyle to Share Tips and Trends at Orange County Head to Toe Women's ... (PRWeb) Southern California's premiere women's consumer show, the Head to Toe Women's Expo returns to OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa, Calif., October 10, 11 and 12, 2008. Presented by Ralphs Grocery, the Head to Toe Women's Expo gives mothers, daughters, and girlfriends a chance to reconnect during a weekend of shopping, pampering, makeovers and inspirational speakers. Several experts, ... http://firepit-plans.com Introduces "The Fire Pit Planner Guide" a Comprehensive Inspirational Guide to Building ... (PRWeb via Yahoo! News) http://firepit-plans.com is a new site that offers a unique do-it-yourself inspirational plan to building fire pits, the guide offers tips and advice on operating and constructing fire pits in the outdoors, house garden or backyard. Reporter's Notebook (Dallas Morning News) Certain parts of Irving City Hall will soon be getting makeovers. Residents and visitors can expect to see inspirational quotes on walls and prominent displays of the city?s mission statement within a couple of months. Bob Walter: Iraq hero gets moving tribute in Elk Grove Park (The Sacramento Bee) For a hero: As if anybody could forget Joe Nurre of Wilton, a fitting and permanent memorial to the inspirational Elk Grove High School football captain is attracting plenty of attention in Elk Grove Park. Joe Nurre A plaque dedicates an Elk Grove barbecue area to Joe Nurre. MCC Honors 9/11 Victims and Families (R News) Monroe Community College hosted a special 9/11 commemorative ceremony at the Remembrance Walk on the Brighton campus. The hour long event included music, inspirational speeches, a moment of silence and flowers placed at the base of the 9/11 monument there. Local review: 'Bill W. and Dr. Bob' entertaining, educational (The Pantagraph) For a gripping evening of theater as educational as it is inspirational, ?Bill W. and Dr. Bob? at Heartland Theatre Company, can?t be beat. Steve Amerson to Sing at the Congressional Medal of Honor Society's Convention (Christian News Wire) DENVER, Sept. 11 / Christian Newswire / -- Steve Amerson, well-known Inspirational music artist will be singing at the Congressional Medal of Honor Society's Annual Convention, A Celebration of Honor, in Denver, Colorado at the "Patriots Award Gala" on Friday, September 19, 2008. Radio pirate suspect arrested in Wilton Manors apartment (Sun-Sentinel) When you tune into FM 103.9 in Broward County , you're supposed to hear a sermon by Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale Pastor Bob Coy or inspirational music from the likes of Mercy Me and Steven Curtis Chapman. Randolph Reads kicks off with celebration (Asheboro Courier-Tribune) ASHEBORO ? A Randolph County initiative to unite the community in reading and discussing an inspirational non-fiction book about a nearby town?s struggles with change is under way. Honor Text Helps Americans to Remember (WCAV Charlottesville) The clock strikes 9:11am and your phone beeps, but it?s not your average text message. Instead, it?s an Honor Text, a brief inspirational message about some of America?s service men and women. Site: inspirational - Google News Gerard Lucien Gaudreau, inspirational speaker - Baltimore Sun
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Inspiration, the Living Force These moments of awareness are powerful motivators. They boost our spirit and expand our view of certain joys we don't have the chance to appreciate every day. No More Frustration: The Thorns of Opportunity - Part II The quest for the ultimate victory.In part one I shared with you how not knowing what you don't know, much like the "thorny" gardener, can rob you of your time, and keep you from enjoying and living the life you want. Are You Really Living Your Life Today! Yesterday I was but a child, looking. Looking ahead at a world of wonder. Shaping the Future with Positive People Power We must shape the future and control our destiny.When we examine our world, what do we see? At this moment, we see mass unemployment, a shaky economic system, 'haves' and 'have nots', corporate dominance and a system of living which is getting worse every day. A Lifetime In Love We let ourselves love but are afraid to say I love you.We constantly allow our emotions to run deep but why do we hold back on our sweet sensations and tingling feelings?Sometimes although it hurts so bad we cry out for more. Wake-Up Call Direct Answers - Column for the week of October 7, 2002In the first half of May, I went through two remarkable changes. One was physical and the other involved emotional recall. 5 Tips To Add More Spice To Your Life 1. Once a week, visit somewhere you've never been before. Change Those of you, who can fathom yourselves welcoming and enjoying a big, major change in your life right now, raise your hands! When I say, change, it might be a good change and it might be a bad change. Either way, we all don't know what that change is going to be like, what aspect of our lives is going to change and we might not even be happy with it. Whose Decision Direct Answers - Column for the week of May 5, 2003I'm very disturbed these days, and if it continues, I might get mad soon. I am 28. Melting Snow I love the sounds of melting snow-plink, plink, ting, ting, ting, a staccato drip on sloped metal roofs, the occasional loud crack of a giant icicle, the bubble and gurgle of the mountain brook as it swells and tumbles over polished rocks on its way to the valley below.I love to gaze at the majestic white peaks with knowing wonder that they will soon morph into greens, oranges, purples, reds and a myriad of ever-changing hues, a dance between the sun, the clouds and the fog, a waltz of beauty and color that never changes partners yet never replays itself, each day a masterful original. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Whoever coined this phrase is a genius.Life finds ways to dish out exactly this- the good the bad and the ugly. Self Acceptance - Lessons From My Hair Affair For our diet and, indeed, in every aspect of our lives, we must remember to relax from the demands of the unrealistic ideal. For those trying to lose weight, you cannot be the Barbie. You Can Quickly And Easily Solve Your Problems Today I just wanted to write you a quick note to encourage you. Why? Because even as you are doing your best to be motivated there will be days when it all seems too much. Take Action and Make a Better World Albert Einstein is quoted as having said, "the world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it".These days, everybody is aware of the social, environmental, emotional and spiritual destruction that penetrates every aspect of our life. Create Your Way Out of It When life has you feeling less than happy, and you would like to see things different than they are, here are some tips that can help you.I learned that there IS a way out of and beyond any situation that we are less than happy about. Starting A New Disaster Relief Program I believe that it is an amazing time in our history. Mankind is truly showing his/her capabilities, they are observable because all thoughts are brought into physical being as symbols of thought. Secrets Exposed Direct Answers - Column for the week of October 13, 2003I've been friends with "Jenny" for three years after my husband and I started a business with her husband. When her husband decided he didn't want to come to work anymore, we pretty much took his name off the business, and they stopped calling and coming over. The Seasons of Life, Part 1 of 5 Life is about constant, predictable patterns of change. For the six thousand years of recorded history, as humans have entered this world, received parental instruction, classroom instruction, and gathered the experience of life; many have set for themselves ambitious goals, and dreamed lofty dreams. Make Mistakes! Its Okay - Really! When you fall, do you get right back up? Do you learn from your mistake and move on? Or do you kick yourself so hard in the butt that you just mope around for days in your PJs and wonder why you're so miserable? Come on! Get a grip!Okay, okay, that was uncalled for, but seriously, the more mistakes you make, the more you learn. The more you learn the more you grow and the more likely you'll be a future bright star in the sky. Generosity Is The Seed Of Wealth Generosity, which includes the free, no strings-attached sharing of resources, money, and information among people, is the seed of prosperity. What was the initial seed planted that caused the "Silicon Valley Miracle" No, it was not the invention of the oscilloscope by David Hewlett and William Packard, but, rather, an act of no-strings attached generosity, the founding of Stanford University by Leland Stanford.
|
| Home | Site Map | Resource Links |
