October 25

Today's Reading

Jeremiah, in today's reading, pronounced God's judgment upon Moab, Ammon and Edom. Moab, the ancestral home of Ruth (who married Boaz and was King David's great-grandmother) existed in a mountainous region of modern-day Jordan. As stated in the prophecy, they ceased to exist not long after Jeremiah. Ammon similarly lived in modern-day Jordan and assimilated with others in the region. Amman -- the capital of Jordan -- came from their name. Edom -- the direct descendants of Esau -- lived south and east of Israel. During the rule of Rome, they completely lost their identity. Many of them intermarried with their distant cousins, the Israelites, and were assimilated into the Jews. In each case, their false "gods" fell and the One True God still reigns.

2 Timothy. "5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord." Now, there's a Scripture verse that challenges me! I know that God pours grace upon those who are suffering. I know that He is faithful. I know that Romans 8:28 is true. I'm still challenged by that verse.

Psalms. Again we have a Psalm that complements Jeremiah... "5 The gods of other nations are mere idols,
but the Lord made the heavens!"

Proverbs. "11 As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his foolishness." It is easy to be so broken by our sin that we can't imagine doing it again. Then we do.

What speaks to you today?