Be at Peace for the Sake of the Seeker!

Jeremiah 41

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, May 9.

Sometime after the deportation of the exiles, Gedaliah, the appointed governor of Judah, was assassinated by Ishmael (Jeremiah 41:1-3). It was yet another dark season for the people of Judah because instead of striving to work together to make the best of a bad situation, there was political strife and personal enmity. To make matters worse, when eighty pilgrims came from the north to worship in the house of the Lord, seventy of them were massacred by Ishmael (4-9). Whereas the assassination of the governor was a tragedy, the massacre of the pilgrims was an atrocity. Furthermore, beyond the moral consequences of this unnecessary bloodshed, there was going to be far reaching political ramifications from Babylon. Sadly, any stability in the region or hope for the future that had been restored to the everyday people was snatched away. After seeking revenge upon Ishmael, Johanan prepared the people to leave the Promised Land, fleeing to Egypt (11-18).

When the people of God infight, it keeps seekers from experiencing the love of God. I don’t understand why people are so easily stirred up into turmoil, especially those who are supposed to have the peace of God guarding their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Whether it’s the color of the carpets, the translation of the pew Bible, or a perspective on a hot topic, it’s almost as if the people of God are looking for something (anything!) to sacrifice their unified witness at the altar of personal preferences. Unfortunately, those who suffer the most from such infighting are the seekers and pilgrims. It is the guest, upon walking into a church that is caught up in discord and division, that never gets to feel or experience the love of Jesus through His disciples’ love for one another (John 13:34-35).

Seize the moment and fear God; be at peace with one another for the sake of the seeker!

God bless you!

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YOUTUBE:

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