March: Daniel — Passion, Prevailing Prayer, Perpetual Answers

Posted on March 6, 2025March 6, 2025 by Homeplate007

His Kingdom? It’s the one that shall not be destroyed. There will be no Republicans or Democrats gaining power or control, no competition and infighting. His dominion shall endure to the END. Fraud won’t happen on His watch and families will all be welcome. Everybody wins when God is in charge. Sounds utopian? It’s real and one day that Kingdom will be in full reign. Daniel gave us a glimpse of what that will look like and a front row seat to see his trials. (Youtube:Ancient of Days)

As I write this month I have ashes on my forehead – a Lenten symbol and tradition that goes way back. In my early years the Lenten season was a big deal but in later years the church culture I was a part of did not observe it. After much research into the Old Testament festivals I realized that Martin Luther and others tried to arrange them into Christian type events– grafting them into modern church culture. Sometimes they were spot on and at other times it turned into legalism. Omitting them from our practice is not good because we miss out on beautiful truths God wants to teach us –if they are done in the Spirit and with wonder and hope. The church that remembers the origins of some of these celebrations and sacraments can benefit tremendously. Revival and beauty arise out of “sackcloth and ashes.”

Daniel is full of signs, wonders and prophecies and because I have some deep theological thinkers that read this page I am admittedly too scared to tackle some of them. They point not only to a coming Messiah but also to the inclusion of Gentiles and specifics about the end of all days. I’ll leave that for the scholars to debate and private discussion and instead will share the things that impacted our family.

Joe and the boys regularly said this month that Daniel had a “transformational”, not a transactional relationship with God. He wanted to be righteous more than just merely being heard. We discovered that his prayer life, three times a day, was greater than ours and that was convicting– so we stepped it up and saw more miracles, healing etc. but most importantly we saw more of God. Not only personally but also more people coming to Christ, more physical healing, etc. Daniel is said to have served his God “continuously” and we found gaps in our week where we were not focused on His presence or promises. Following after Christ should be 365, 24/7 and not just on Sundays. We’ve said that forever but when we actually looked at our schedule there are gaps where worship or prayer were not as high on the priority list. Does God fault us for that? I don’t believe so, because He is full of grace but it seems we are the ones that get the short end of the stick when we don’t press in for those missing gap hours of being close to Him. The longer you position yourself under the “spout where the glory comes out” as the old time saints used to say, the more you experience His presence. God is living and active today – just as much as He was in Daniels time. I do not see many seeking God, with as much fervor as Daniel, myself included. It will be tragic to find out in Heaven that the only reason God did not do more signs, wonders and miracles was because we did not dare to ask and believe!

When I was researching Ash Wednesday, there were several Biblical notes on why it is observed. I recognized Mordecai praying and fasting with sackcloth and Ashes for Queen Esther and Jonah fasting for Ninevah, but I was not as familiar with that practice in Daniel. Maybe its because we focus on the answer to his prayer and miss the practice beforehand? When he believed the nation was heading for ruin, he sat in sackcloth and ash – a type of repentance. He humbled himself before his God, put on ashes to demonstrate his contrition and repentance and then prayed for his nation. You don’t see a million man march or his female counterparts dressing in a certain color in protest. Hmm? No, instead he, Daniel, goes to his knees in prayer and seeks God, talks to Him with great intensity about what is happening in the nation around him. His words are passionate and a timely prayer we can say for our nation today:

9:3So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

⁴I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, ⁵we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. ⁶We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.

⁷“Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. ⁸We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. ⁹The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; ¹⁰we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. ¹¹All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.

“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. ¹²You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. ¹³Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. ¹⁴The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.

¹⁵“Now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. ¹⁶Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.

¹⁷“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. ¹⁸Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. ¹⁹Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”

After this prayer, look what takes place, 9:26 While I was speaking {intensely!!} and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for His holy hill— ²¹while I was still in prayer, speaking {intensely!!} Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. ²²He instructed me and said { intensley!!} to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. ²³As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly BELOVED/ esteemed.

Prayers are not neutral. They don’t just make sound as they exit our lips and stay there. They are active and there is One who Hears. My favorite line in Daniels prayer is when he states, “we do not pray because we are righteous but because You are merciful.” That is a mouthful! He is counting on a loving heavenly Father to intervene. What faith! What trust!

If one person reading this prays for our nation -there is a reaction in Heaven. One, just one. We count on leaders, church members and government representatives to do that but if they are busy and don’t, there is no response in Heaven. Are you the next Daniel?

This is what impresses me about a man or woman of God – they stand in the gap for their families and country. Any ol slob can spout off their hatred for a party or leader. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to watch Fox news or CNN and parrot what’s being said. The complainer gets air time and people think they “understand” the way things really are but they don’t actually fix anything. Prayer warriors – they shoot heavenly prayer requests up to God and with every whisper of every prayer – a reaction occurs and an answer is sent back. Message received.

Daniels friends were threatened and they get thrown in the furnace – but they were not burned by the fire. Their enemies did however.

Daniel is threatened and he gets put in the lions’ Den – but was not destroyed in the Lion’s mouth. His enemies were however.

Daniels’ nation is in danger because of the enormous sins of the people rebelling against God– but their end changes. Heaven is summoned to bring God’s solution and it is sent. We pray not because we are righteous– but because HE IS MERCIFUL. All day, every day. It doesn’t say He shall be merciful or possibly might consider listening to us or potentially He will extend grace hopefully in the future. Now, in this moment, right now GOD IS MERCIFUL.

Earlier Daniel lets us know that GOD IS ABLE. In chapter 9 we are told that GOD IS MERCIFUL. That means compassionate, tender, caring. That equates to being a prayer- hearing, answering and sending God. It is His character and we can trust Him. We can prepare for the furnace and the Den. Or we can learn from Daniel to pray.

This book is filled with Aramaic phrases that tell us Daniel and His God were passionate in their communication – fiery, loud, and intense. As this book progresses, we see the transformational relationship they had. Daniel stepped up, he stepped in, then he stepped out in power and victory. Note his response to the King is a SHOUT instead of a whisper while standing before hungry lions!

Do you want results in your Christian walk? Results come from God– but our part is to pray, to serve continuously and to learn from the fiery trials around us so we can be who God needs us to be in this hour. Daniels example is not lukewarm, it is fiery hot and continuous. It is matched by his trials and fiery outcomes. He has perpetual persecution, engages in prevailing prayer and proves his God is providentially powerful.

First Peter 4 says it like this: “The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. ⁸Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. … And in vs. 12:Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. ¹⁵If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. ¹⁶However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. ¹⁷For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸And,“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”¹⁹So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”

May our lives and the fruit from our lives reflect the same God that Daniel served.

RenaeRoche2025

A Heart in the Right Place – There

Posted on February 3, 2025 by Homeplate007

The Book of Ezekiel

When people go rogue and society becomes dark, it not only affects our Spiritual health, vision, and emotional fortitude, it impacts our physical and mental health as well. Ezekiel was chosen to become a priest. Priesthood may have been passed from father to son so it’s possible this was a dream since he was a little boy. His installation as a priest would have been the same year he was exiled. Imagine praying, preparing to have this prime spot only to end up on the bank of a channel with a bunch of smelly reprobate captives. He sat there as a fellow prisoner of a radical king in a pagan nation. It looked bleak, and for Ezekiel, it looked OVER.

We don’t have all of Ezekiels narrative in this book, but it might have sounded something like this, “WHY God?”, “What did I do to deserve this?”, “Is this how you treat Your own?” “How did I end up here?” Maybe you have said something like this recently or when things you thought were going to go a certain way – didn’t. We hear words like this when people pass away, or divorce or fall ill. It stinks, and causes us to question our identity, life and calling.

Sometimes it even causes us to question God.

Pause for a second — note that God doesn’t freak out and tell Ezekiel that his destiny has been obliterated. God wasn’t shocked that Ezekiels’ plans were ruined or say “Oops, I didn’t see that one coming.” He also does not go silent in hopes that Ezekiel can figure it all out on his own. God doesn’t give Ezekiel a cliché “everything happens for a reason”. Nope. Instead, the God of the Universe starts moving towards Ezekiel. I love this! Maybe God loved His minister more than his ministry or stones of the Temple?

This is incredible – whatever angels or host or creatures were in the Heavenlies are now chasing down an exiled prophet. (The next time we see a light show like this will be while Shepherds watched their flock one night in the New Testament). In Ezekiel, the angelic come close In a moving vehicle we still can’t figure out. Respect. Remember, there’s no social media at this time, no Tesla, no airplanes, no drones….

The glory of God (that was believed to live in Jerusalem) elevates into the sky and transports to where Ezekiel is sitting with other captives. That is amazing! The Holy God was still reaching His people. Their God was not only living, and active (unlike the idols) their God followed them! He’s was coming for them. God made sure that His priest was NOT ALONE. He came for him. That speaks volumes to me. This special, host travel crew came to bless and inspire. He was not a prodigal but the nation he was part of –certainly were prodigals as they had rebelled against God. Their hearts were idolatrous long before they ended up by the waterfront.

Guilt is when a man (or woman) does wrong things, or does something bad. Shame is when a person is bad. These people were hardened, stubborn, and had turned from God to lesser loves and foreign idols. Their hearts were fake, plastic, and not responsive to God at all. They could add all the sprinkles and frosting possible but their hearts underneath were dry and stale.

Ezekiel’s Heavenly visitation refreshed him, and he began to teach, and prophesy. The “company” showing up gave him courage. Perhaps God had to send angelic company because he was in such bad company. Their appearing strengthened and probably scared him.

The NIV tells us God told him, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” The NLT states it like this: “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”

It was the love of God that ran after Ezekiel in a foreign land. 1 John 4:19 tells us “We love because He first loved us.” Though Ezekiel was carried away in exile, though the holy temple was gone – God was still with him, God was still THERE. God’s love chased him down, ran after him, followed him to the new place. That new place became a dwelling for God, a place for His presence so Ezekiel names the city “Yahweh is there” – that place, that’s where God is – there. We know He is there because of the evidence– fruit, love, joy, life. That’s how we know God is “there” – in one’s heart, family or local church. When God is there, He leaves a trail – a trail of fruit, healing and life.

Before we proceed with this story, how is your heart today? Fresh, renewed, responsive? Or is your heart burdened with idolatry, bitterness or shame? What God promised Ezekiel is also promised to us today. If we confess our sins and ask God to give us a new heart and life, He will come dwell with us and give us a brand new heart – FREE from guilt and shame (See the Good news page for more information).

Then Ezekiel gets some visual downloads from God. He does street theater to explain God’s word to people, and then, Ezekiel is shown a picture (Chapter 47) of a river. Not the small channel of despair where they gathered after being exiled. No, this little stream would surge into a raging river. It started small and then grew in depth and strength. In this book we see many pictures of the Holy Spirit – wind, fire, flood, earthquake, river.

In contrast, when sin runs rampant, it spoils everything, it depresses people, it corrodes communication, it spills over into abysmal rot. When God’s spirit spills over, it rises, brings fruit. It turns into Garden of Eden-type blessings. We can compare this River to the one in Revelation – full of healing and life. Ezekiel had a preview of one day hearts being changed and fresh, one day the river bringing healing and life. Then all will know where the Lord is at, He’s in the new city -there.

The Hebrew word for “THERE” is Sham. It means He’s not just with the religious buildings or sacred cities. HE follows us, He oversees us, He chases His own down to guide, love and make things new. After hearing a sermon last week on the River. I silently prayed while in a few settings and circumstances, “Lord, bring your river to this place, this situation.” Each and every circumstance changed for the better. He waits for us to invite Him in. He longs to bring His river to our broken places, our failures. His desire is to bring Heaven TO ME, TO YOU. Undeserved, unearned. How was your day? Well, God was there. How do you know? Well, because He brought Himself, He brought joy, He brought fruit, He brought peace.

Without repentance God will judge. His holiness requires that, but with repentance, God will move Heaven and earth to come to whatever dark place we are in. He will take away our shame and replace it with His very presence – SHAM – He will be there. Do you hear the echoes of “for lo I am with you, even to the ends of the earth?”

Wherever you are sitting – exiled, broken, weary–Let God bring change. Repent of sin, ask God in and allow His River to flow in you, in your circumstances and watch Him move. His word gives hope –and promises us that He will be THERE.

“There is a River, that flows from deep within. There is a fountain that frees my soul from sin. Come to the River… there is a vast supply, there is a River, that NEVER shall run dry.”

Maybe this Valentines month, you would like a real new, fresh heart. Not a glittery, plastic or shiny one, but one that is responsive, yielded to God? God still says, “Be MINE”. He’s watching, He’s waiting and coming for YOU. Will you welcome Him, invite Him in?

RenaeRoche2025

Gods’ Resolutions for US in 2025

Posted on January 5, 2025January 6, 2025 by Homeplate007

Welcome to 2025!

The Book of Lamentations update edit 1/6/25

Do you know anyone who is lonely, isolated or estranged? Anyone who is grieving, devastated, enslaved, who weep bitterly every night, and feel oppressed? Our world is full of people described just like that – in churches, businesses and homes.

In the chaos of our culture, we have become numb to people talking about their issues, problems and pain. We see it on the news, we experience it in the streets, and in relationships. It is not meant to be that way, so why is it?

In the Old Testament, the prophet Jeremiah (or perhaps his secretary Baruch) wrote poems with prayers and lament. A lament is an expression of grief, regret or sorrow. Each poem begins with an acrostic and it contains the mourning of God’s people. This section shares a people who remembered the joy of God’s favor but now are feeling the affliction of God’s wrath. It’s one thing to feel oppressed, it’s another thing to realize that the all loving God is the One bringing the pain. Keep in mind this book is pre-Savior.

Hear the three main “cries” in Chapter one, and evaluate your last year or ten years – is it similar?

There is no one to comfort
There is no rest
There is no one to help

The audience of this book had the Torah, oral tradition and prophecies, but not a whole Bible like we have today. How unbearable! No comfort, no rest, no help – all signs of judgment. They were getting opposite of what GOD wanted for them.

This is not only the plight of the lost, this is the state of the soul estranged from God. This was the result of sin.

Sometimes suffering this can be from warfare or circumstances — true, but it can also be the fall out from alienation with God. It can be the result or a broken relationship with Him. It is not Gods’ heart or desire for us. Comfort means there is consolation, pity, and compassion. We all need it, we all want it and we hope God will be that for us. Remember that we now see God’s character thru Jesus but the people in that day did not trust God was good or know He had their back. They only knew that one day, a Messiah would come that would break yokes, care for the poor, comfort the oppressed and help them in their suffering (see Is.58, Jer.29).

Judgment means there is constant work and worry –no rest. No place or person to be at ease with – a home, a marriage, a purpose that keeps you going. There is no state of rest or peace– because before Christ they had to sacrifice for all sin. Their debt was owed, their guilt remained. They ceased to seek God or go to the Temple. Help is more than just support, it is protection, being surrounded and receiving aid. God had been their present help in time of need, now they say there is no one. The Lamentations are cries as they see the result of turning away from GOD.

In the very first book of the Bible, we hear God telling Adam that it is not good for man to be alone. His Father grants him someone to console and support him, and Eve is his helpmate. A gift from God. But then we see loneliness come back when Adam stops walking with God. His labor intensifies as he misses God’s voice and becomes Eves sole source of comfort, rest and help. Relationships without God look like this- weary, worn out from trying to replace all that God wants to be in that persons life. Here in Lamentations, we are told the city, the nation, and the Individual have no comfort, no rest, no help. It is a state of utter chaos and pain.

Why? They remembered when things were good and God’s blessing was on them. Those who have never felt comfort, rest or help have nothing to remember to bring them back. It must be shared so they can know and feel it. Comfort, rest and help are signs God is near and reveal Jesus.

The author of Lamentations tells us the suffering and trials are because of transgression and sin, that things have broken down and become such a crisis. The Lord not only allowed it but brought it. Yikes, that’s bad news but it would lead them back to their Source.

Transgressions can be moral, religious, or national. They stem from trespasses. My husband Joe said if you read the “ingredient list” on a can of transgression, rebellion would be the top item listed. Rebellion is opposed to what is good and right. In our day we say people “erred” or “made a mistake” perhaps a blunder, but the word of God says transgressions separate us from a holy God. Sins are different from transgressions. They are mess-ups with blame, guilt-inducing errors from when we go wrong. We can go against a holy God or we can disobey when we block His leading to do something right. We want to alleviate others’ guilt so they feel good, but sometimes things go wrong because of God showing us where we turned away from HIM. A pill, a therapist or a pastor cannot make you feel better if it is God behind the life lesson. We must check our hearts and invite God to change us with His with grace. (Note of caution: not all suffering is a sign of sin, this is specific to broken relationship with God and the absence of the blessing that comes with it.)

The author and poet tells us that the highways of their day were “crying” and rising up in sadness for the loneliness of those who no longer came for the set festivals or gathered assemblies. Netflix and Doordash can never replace fiery worship and preaching! Not only the rocks were crying out, but Highway 95 was buckling under the mourning of the absence of feet heading to the Temple. The people no longer pounded the pavement to make it to church, no longer came in droves to praise God or seek His face. Pretty intense visual. I don’t want to make the highways cry for the longing of my family’s feet! There are times when sickness, weather or work prevent an occasional absence but when whole groups of people are going down other paths, there is a serious, spiritual problem. When people stop encountering God and others in the service, they will vote with their feet. When hearts go tepid, lukewarm or turn selfish, no church in the world can keep them. It won’t just limit church attendance, it will crush a nation. HELP! The absence of these things is a warning sign for Gods people. Who is in need of Comfort, Rest or Help? Hear the alarm, hear the Lord, we must hear the cries, they alert us to a people in need of a comforter, a burden bearer and helper. If they could speak, what are the highways by your house or church saying this morning?

Transgressions and sins caused God to pause. He let them try things their own way.

Transgressions and sins allowed chaos to overwhelm and overpower them. He let them feel the loss of His comfort, rest and help.

It is a sad book. It can’t be preached away or simplified by saying God is always good and it must have been the” devil at work”. It (the crime, agony, isolation, pain, betrayal) was caused by their choices. That was not God’s ideal plan for them. Sin failed them.

Let me ask you a question. Is there comfort, rest, and help for you today? For our nation?

We have an epic carnal problem. Doing our ”own thing” has bankrupted us and our nation. Moral corrosion spreads – to Democrats, Republicans, saints and sinners. If we address it, we might just find our way back to God’s grace. If we face it– we might just begin to see that all along God has provided Comfort, Rest and Help through Jesus. There are happier books to read but this one shares Gods’ solution – turn back to Him.

Fast forward to the scene at the nativity, fast forward to the empty tomb – Jesus was, is, and will be our COMFORT, REST, and HELP. Those things are not just random verbs, they represent a person, a Savior with a plan and His name is Jesus. Not just for this election cycle but for EVERY cycle. This January 2025, are you Enslaved? Lonely? Overwhelmed? Tired? Crying? Bitter? Betrayed, afflicted? Wouldn’t you rather be supported with Comfort, Rest and Help? Return, we must all return. Return to the One who is waiting for us.

God spoke (and speaks) through Lamentations and let them and us know the root cause of these devastating issues. He was resolved to bring us the solution. It is dark now, but it does not have to be or stay that way. Help is on the way! Rest is on the way! Comfort is on the way!

We need Comfort. We need Rest. We need Help. We were not made to be alone.

We need our transgressions and sins to be cleansed and forgiven. Now is the day…

God is good. We need to make room for Him in our hearts by asking Him to clear out the transgressions and sins in our lives. He’s willing – we need to let Him know we are willing – to live His way- holy. Then He will push back the chaos and bring back the favor and joy. I can’t think of a better way to start 2025 than turning to God, asking for forgiveness for our transgressions and sins, and letting Him become these three things in our lives. Quite the package deal – Comfort, Rest and Help. Come Lord Jesus!

RenaeRoche2025

ps. Please share with us your story.

Batteries Needed….

Posted on December 10, 2024December 10, 2024 by Homeplate007

As a single woman, I had a list of things I wanted in my “future husband.” I wanted someone patient and hard working like my dad, a good mentor like my coach, a wise person like my pastor, etc. I had things I was “looking” for in a spouse and knew I would recognize the right person when I recognized those signs, i.e., godly traits (James 1:17). My husband is a gift from the Lord and I’m grateful for those “clues” along the way for what God wanted for me. God wants us to “see” what He sees, what He is looking for in any given circumstance. That requires that we pause to get Gods’ perspective.

Did you know God left clues in the Old Testament prophets, so that people could recognize His Savior when He came? While reading the Nativity story this month, I noticed similarities with Jeremiahs’ story. It was not all roses, there were terrifying dangerous events in both of their lives. Then I stumbled upon a brilliant commentary (The Expositors Bible Commentary, Vol.6) where Charles Feinberg makes 16 points on how the life of Jesus is foreshadowed by the life of Jeremiah. The similarities are shocking: [1]

Compare their historical setting, their message, their mention of nature, their priest and kingly family backgrounds, their call, their condemnation of commercial worship, their persecution and imprisonment, their foretelling of the destruction of the Temple, they both wept and prayed over Jerusalem even after being told to stop, they both condemned other priests of their day, they were both rejected by their kin, they were both tenderhearted suffering servants, they both loved Israel deeply, they both knew deep loneliness, they both enjoyed unique fellowship with God.[2]

We are given clues to recognize the Lord’s work and plan. While they were waiting to see the future hope, God was working.

While Jeremiah renounced the sins of his day and announced that judgment was coming, God was working. With every mention of judgment, they were told that if they repent and return, then blessings and hope would come. Sadly, they refused to hear. When they beat Jeremiah, he was still holding out hope they would change. When they mocked him, he was still continuing to pray for them. That didn’t mean Jeremiah missed God.

Jeremiah can be a hard read. It is the longest book in the Bible and sometimes a bit heavy. But we, like the people in the Old and New Testament, need the reminder. If we do not think we need it, then we need it most. We would much rather read the promises and hear of hope. Hope in Jeremiahs economy looks like this- first God will break the skewed foundations, that which is built on human ingenuity, personality, or idols (substitutes) and then when the rubble is cleared, He will rebuild a correct foundation. The hope and promises are guaranteed because God, the sovereign God will build it the way it should have been built in the first place- masterfully and according to His will. Break, build, remake, seems to be Gods’ thing. Let me give some examples for us to consider and apply:

God has a surgical knife and will use it if necessary.
Whether it is China, Russia, or North Korea we are always aware that other nations have the potential to harm our nation. The news has been full of possibilities lately. God reaches nations when we pray. Babylonians with new names, are still a threat. Huang Sabin writes in his commentary that Jeremiah told the people God was going to use a heathen nation as a “surgical knife” to fix their infectious disease of sin. Ouch. They would be a tool in Gods’ hand. God is still capable of that today. God can send Babylonians our way if we do not continue praying and watching, repenting for our sins. We need to find God and see what He is doing –personally and in the nations! We need to watch and pray.
God is a jealous God and will not “share” us with other gods. No substitutes.

Several large ministry leaders fell morally this past year. It grieves our hearts. Not only did these leaders not turn to God for their needs but they wrecked other marriages. H. Sabin in his commentary on Jeremiah writes, “God never blames us for being thirsty, only for drinking from the wrong source. He will not tolerate us looking for “substitutes.” God has to break us in order to remake us.” Moral failure is a sure way to have your life and ministry crumble. If you stack pressure on top of integrity issues or misplaced values, it will all topple. Jeremiah warned us of this. Repentance is the key. Repentance is not a word we hear of very often in our culture but it was a staple in Jeremiahs’ messages. It simply means to go back to God and His ways, His will. Jeremiah’s message of a future hope (29:11) comes on the heels of God first telling His people they will be utterly destroyed and all their idols removed. They ignored the “if” statements and continued on with business as usual.

It’s like on Christmas morning, your kids get that special toy new out of the box but it won’t work. You read the directions, and it states: Batteries required. You were told but raced forward without doing the basics. Yes, there is hope and yes God intends to bless but FIRST insert repentance, cleansing and turn back to God. Where there are no altars or crying out to God– there will be no revival – batteries are required. The Maker told us that, it should be no surprise. It’s foundational to Gods’ plan. Good luck trying it any other way. It will be costly, wearisome and a colossal waste of time. The” juice or energy” is surrendering and yielding to God alone – repentance. Removing all other sources of energy and wisdom and solely relying on God for our strength and life is the message Jeremiah preached. His family was not thrilled but it was still truth.

The two sins Jeremiah targeted were rebukes from the Lord, “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the Spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water (Jer.2:13).” All the special “Christmas toys” are rubbish if they don’t have fresh batteries. All the hype and pomp of churches and Christians will be rubbish if we do not have a living fountain flowing inside–Personal salvation and regeneration. “The Temple, The Temple” they cried but their personal walks were abysmal. Jeremiah’s clues to us shout loudly through history.

Walter Kaiser in his commentary on the Old Testament tells us:

“For Jeremiah, the sole remedy for the sin of the nation lay in sincere repentance and following a life of obedience to the divine will. Jer.9:3 …. the vital necessity for the implementation of this hope of survival was the engraving of the divine law in the human heart and will, rather than on tablets of stone. …Jeremiah had nothing to say about a restored Temple and cultus, for his predominant concern was with a future that would be characterized by spiritual regeneration and moral purification in the lives of the Chosen people.”[3] (Give the people spiritual batteries or “the Temple” will not work).

Serving God requires testing and rejection, not popularity or man’s approval.
During a prayer time earlier this year the Lord spoke to us that He was going to take down many in government and replace them with men and women after His heart. We, by accident or providence, were driving around Washington D.C. when the word came. It was hard to believe, especially in a short time period. The next Monday, everything started to change. We are now seeing that word come to pass. There are also many leaders being pulled into service who were outcasts even five years ago. I’m beginning to wonder if the ones’ God chooses to use are very far from the trendy folks seen on television today. Gods’ mouthpiece then, looked like “single, disliked by family, unpopular and constantly misunderstood and slandered”. What a job description! Persecution and opposition followed both Jeremiah and Jesus– yet they lived a holy life. They were both ridiculed and probably thought to be rebels or mentally ill, but they were God’s choice and divine messengers. They also both scrutinized the “political, social, moral, and spiritual life of the people”. Prophets, priests, kings, nobles, and even relatives could expect no favoritism from him.”[4] Maybe we have looked at our own models of leaders, instead of Gods’ and that is why we are missing the moral compass in our nation? Maybe we’ve exchanged Gods voice for sound bytes? Gods will shall prevail.

God forewarned Jeremiah that exile is coming. He told him, “you will be single, mocked, your works will be burned, your journals scattered”. Jeremiah waits because he has hope. His life was not amazing, or first glance successful, it was difficult – yet God used him greatly because Gods’ highest goal is not to make us happy but to make us HOLY. It’s truly not about us. His Kingdom shall have no end.

In your lonely place of prison, confinement, solitude Jeremiah, judgment is sure. Your messages will be ridiculed, your connections will be broken. Jeremiah waits because he has a promise of a holy Messiah deep within his veins. [5]

While in the miry, smelly, muddy earth, he may have hoped the leaders would be supportive, but they were part of the hit squad–they were fallen, unrepentant. LOOK TO ME, says the Lord to Jeremiah and us today, NOT THEM. They smote him, not the beggar or thief –but the ones pontificating on righteousness and rule. Yikes! But God still had HIS way, in spite of the people’s rejection and slander. God’s plan then and now will not, never be thwarted. Jeremiah waits because he knows, he watches because he hopes, that the only true One who is holy has promised him that He will come. That hope keeps his nose above the watery, muddy grave he stands in. That hope reminds him that only One is clean. Only One can cleanse, and that hope is his salvation. Jeremiah waits, hopes because he knows that God is true. God is holy.

We wait, we hope, we long for the Savior to appear. O come; o come Emmanuel. Then one night the Messiah, Emmanuel in a safe baby body is born, and the long, dark night of Jeremiah is enveloped in the promise he waited and watched for – and Hope personified appears. It is the night of our dear Saviors birth. Long lay the world, in sin and error pining, till He appeared, and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices. Suddenly an angel appeared, but for years and years the words of Jeremiah hung in silence, waiting for vindication.

Holy night came with a price. Holy night came after repentance reconnected a grieved God and a sinful soul. Jeremiah waited for God’s answer, promise and hope. We saw all of that in Jesus. Now, we eagerly wait for His return. May we repent, wait in hope, and receive all the promises and salvation He can give.

Batteries were provided for this precious Holy night.

Without sin and judgement, no salvation would be necessary. (Hear Cains song What a Friend and Michael Boggs song Oh Come Ye unfaithful). May we remember Jeremiah had a glimpse of God and what He was doing, but he could not clearly see through history for the deliverance of His people. He could see the sign of the Almond Tree and boiling pot but could not clearly see the Redeemer born in a manger. He could only HOPE the message was true. You and I have that advantage. We know HOPE personified in Jesus has come and will come again.

I prefer not to be smote or mocked or persecuted. Being smote is not in my Dayplanner for 2025. I’m pretty sure Jesus preferred to not go to the cross or go through the pain of being a suffering servant. But that holy night Jesus came into this world; He brought with Him the long awaited HOPE Jeremiah had been promised. He came for you and me and gave us what we needed, truly needed– to be reconnected to our holy Father. Forgiveness, reconciliation, wholeness for the unworthy was provided. Judgment and hope in one man for the redemption of all. No substitutes, no idols.

Find time to reconnect with Jesus this season. The real one, not the television version. Repent of all sins and seeking other “solutions.” Lay down all your strengths and weaknesses. Maybe even repent for looking up to Hollywood heroes (or preachers) , or actors, who have since fallen and for placing them on a pedestal in the first place. Accept the real hope that Jesus is returning and has prepared a place for you. A righteous God longs for fellowship with you, to give you a Hope and a Future.

O Come all ye unfaithful.[6] God sees your heart, your desires. He wants you now to see His.

May the words and life of Jeremiah inspire you. May his message come alive in your heart as you see Jesus afresh this season – hope that came alive on that O so holy night. Hope was no longer a dream, a prophecy, a fantasy. Hope was proven, provided. God came down, healing judgement and sin, providing a wonderful Future here and beyond. What do you see child of God? In this season, in this hour, what do YOU see?

Seeing Him with you this season,

RenaeRoche2025

*Edited 12/19/24 for clarification

[1] Expositors Commentary of the Bible. Vol.6 Jeremiah by Charles Feinberg (summarized for space).

[2] Ibid.

[3] Kaiser, Walter. Old Testament Theology. P.820

[4] Feinberg, Charles. P.361

[5] See the Movie “Jeremiah” with Patrick Dempsey on Netflix.

[6] Boggs, Michael. O come all ye unfaithful. YouTube. New Christmas song 2025.

Comfort, Comfort My People….

Posted on November 2, 2024November 2, 2024 by Homeplate007

The Book of Isaiah

Socks and Shoes
A little boy was standing before a shoe store on the roadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold. A lady approached the boy and said, “My little fellow, why are you looking so earnestly in that window?” “I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes,” was the boy’s reply.
The lady took him by the hand and went into the store and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. He quickly brought them to her. She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with a towel.
By this time the clerk had returned with the socks. Placing a pair upon the boy’s feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes. She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him. She patted him on the head and said, “No doubt, my little fellow, you feel more comfortable now?”
As she turned to go, the astonished lad caught her by the hand, and looking up in her face, with tears in his eyes, answered the question with these words: “Are you God’s Wife?” Author Unknown

Because of this woman’s kindness, the little boy recognized that she knew God. That is different than knowing about God. The book of Isaiah will help us know God – that He is not capricious or cruel but wonderful and compassionate. When we do Gods’ bidding we proclaim to the world that He is good and there is good news to share.

Dear Friends, are you anxious, fretting, stressed by the chaos around you this day? Let’s take a moment to look into Isaiah, Chapter 9. I promise, it will refresh you.

“For our sakes, for our problems and our needs, –unto us,– for our benefit –a child is produced thru great and much travail. This child is born, for us. To us, a son is bestowed, provided, entrusted, granted”. That’s not a Hallmark greeting, that’s the precious Word of God.

Are you serious? Yes, not only that but…

…the government, the dominion, shall be TODAY, tomorrow, in the future and going forward, that government, shall rest upon His shoulders, His back. All of it, totally. This is the place of the whole world’s burdens – between His shoulders and on His neck, shall be the portion of our pain. One man, One burden bearer, One Redeemer.

Breathe for a minute.

Release whatever is laying heavy on your shoulders right now –into His capable hands. The whole world rests on HIS shoulders, not yours, not your spouses or your political partys’ leader. God is not nervous in this hour. He is trustworthy and He has placed ALL rule and authority on the shoulders of His son Jesus. Meditate on His sovereign control of not only you but the whole Universe.

We’ve recently seen the stress and death threats upon former President Trump in the news, we’ve heard of the betrayals and intense scrutiny of Vice President Harris on social media, we’ve watched as leaders around the world like Netanyahu being threatened and other leaders assassinated. Their shoulders are human. None of them were set forth from the foundation of the world to bear ALL the world’s pain. None were born exclusively for OUR benefit. Elected or placed officials are not the same as Gods’ anointed Messiah – Jesus. His loss and death were our gain, His rejection was our victory. Isaiah’s’ contemporaries were looking for their marching orders from human leaders, walking in rebellion against the Lord’s commands, openly sinning and vying for power. Isaiah’s message to them and us speaks of judgment, hope and then the greatest solution ever – Emmanuel, God being with us.

Only ONE is worthy. Only ONE has the eternal strength to hold our trials and the world in His hands.

Consider Christs’ primary goal. To establish Gods’ reign and upset the enemies plans. The Berean Literal Bible says it this way in 1 John 3:8, “The one practicing sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. He is our true enemy. For this reason –the Son of God was revealed, so that He might destroy the works of the devil.” Pretty clear focus. Only One was free from sin–just one.

We’ve all heard the Hallmark phrase “Jesus is the reason for the season” but the real reason is you, me, us. He came for us. He died for us. He lives for us and to disrupt, and destroy the works of the devil. That is much harder to express on a coffee cup, but Isaiah’s message fulfilled in Christ is that God’s focal point was bringing us salvation, comfort, and hope. That was His mission. It wasn’t a “vote for Jesus movement”, it was a “He is the Answer to pain, suffering, and sin miracle”.

I do not see anywhere in scripture where it says “Invite people to church” as a focus but it does say “Go, tell the good news about Jesus”. It does say “proclaim, bind the broken-hearted”. When churches or people try to become more popular than the Suffering Servant, we lose the “eternal” part of the message. Your church can help people in awesome ways, but not The Way Jesus provides – salvation and freedom. ONLY He can do that for people. Pointing people to Him goes all the way back to Isaiah. That’s a good plan!

In Isaiah 61 we read, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me”. It doesn’t say court the rich, or build a crowd. The anointing from God is to be fresh, cheerful, and full (which requires rest and time with Jesus), and it brings hope to the POOR (the afflicted, humble, weary). Immigrants are poor. Pregnant women are poor, Teenagers are poor, and weary families are poor. Those who work in the media may also be “poor”.

I’ll let you work out the political agendas possible in each of those sentences. My point is only to say that we all need Jesus, we ALL need His righteousness and justice. Want to know Gods platform in this hour? Repentance and trust , that’s His jam as the kids say. It’s His heart, then and now. Jesus had a plan and through Him, we have that same plan to bring the good news to those who are low, and afflicted. Poor means a state of heart more than the state of ones wallet. That’s who Jesus concerned Himself with when He was on earth.

When my folks passed away, it was like the Sun stopped shining. The brightness, compassion, and caring, were suddenly gone and the world seemed to be a much darker place. I never realized what treasures they were as individuals because to me that was normal. Their support and encouragement were constant and my love tank was full. In their absence, the world felt cold and for a while I struggled to find joy or comfort. I would crave smiles, people saying “keep your chin up” and other words of life. Any random scripture felt like a lifeline. Dark places need light, warmth. Those without hope need to know there is hope. “Comfort, comfort my people” are the words of a Father wanting His children to know He still lives and cares for them. I don’t want any person to go thru life without the light of Gods love. I’ve made it my mission to never let anyone feel as lonely or hopeless as I did in that season of grief.

What can we bring them? Who can we bring them?

Jesus’ role, and by extension our role, is to deliver words of joy and hope, to bind up the broken-hearted. The word “bind up” means wrapping someone up – to go round and round like you’re placing a turban or blanket around them. It’s not just a one-time tract or platitude. It means to bring actual tangible healing to someone. To “gird” them looks less like throwing a pair of socks out your car window on a cold day when you are scared to do evangelism and more like visiting again and again when you find someone wounded or grieving. Emotional bandaging – what if the world saw this in us? Instead of people pointing out injury, they come alongside and bandage, bring love and support.

Jesus still wants to bring salvation, and healing. Sending a giant arm from Heaven might freak people out so He nudges and stirs you and me. Smile. His ways are best and He wants to use the likes of you and me. Isaiah 9 tells us Jesus came to bring LIBERTY. Liberty as a free-flowing, pure wellspring of delight from the Father. Wait, that’s His purpose for me? Yes, that we would be FREE before the Father, delighting in His presence, deeply loved and enveloped by His peace. Come down Lord, come rest on us!

Not all in prison are bound and not all who are in churches are free. In the middle of a sin-ravaged society, a time of great rebellion and wickedness, Isaiah prophesied of a God who loved justice and righteousness. They only saw it as a hope, a feel good prophecy, a Utopian fantasy …. Until one day Jesus walked into the room and it became possible. He didn’t say “I’m here to take over”, He told them “the Spirit of the Lord is on me”. At the very start, Jesus let us know He was following Gods direction. It wasn’t about Him, though He was Messiah. It was about glorifying the Father and fulfilling a greater purpose. Emmanuel in the flesh – that was Gods idea way back then. Is Emmanuel with us today?

How?

Jesus said He would release the Holy Spirit to change men’s hearts, set people free, bring healing … What was once just a hope, became reality. People with no hope, get hope. People dying get a healer. Bound people, prisoners get free. With Christs government, the Holy Spirit would be released on earth to men and women who would receive Him. That Holy Spirit would be the onboard law, the onboard minister, the onboard One who would walk beside those chosen by God, His priests and ministers. (See 1 Peter 2:9 if you need reminding who that includes). It wasn’t meant to be a one or even several minister system, but anointed ones, set apart, seeds set forth by God, ministering in a broken, fallen world. Empowered to love, to proclaim, to bind.

Jesus did not reach everyone. There is this little Hebrew word (shawlack) “sent”, that tells us Jesus went to those to whom the Father sent Him to reach. He was sown into people’s lives. God knew where the ground was fertile. In order to be sent and receive Gods’ orders we need to rest in Him, listen to Him, spend time with Him. Maybe that is the reason many Christians DON’T want to slow down. On the other side of that is your victory, your testimony, your fulfillment of Gods purpose. We must follow Jesus, not the culture.

If we want to celebrate This Messiah, we need to know that He is:

Wonderful – marvelous, extraordinary, a wonder of Gods’ acts of justice and redemption. So, we watch and get to know Him.
Counselor – An adviser, to guide and bring purpose, one who gives counsel. So, we bring Him our problems and hurts.
Mighty God – powerful, warrior, champion, chief, giant, valiant man who fights for His people. So, we trust Him for ourselves and family with difficulties. We trust and have courage to do what He leads us to do.
Everlasting – Perpetuity, forever, lasting, world without end, continuous. So, we know He is forever, stable and will not abandon us.
Father – Head, Founder, Producer, Chief, papa. So, we love Him and have intimate fellowship with Him, listening for His heartbeat and delight.
Prince – the chief, governor, master, General, Captain. So, we rest in His ultimate authority and power.
PEACE – Favor, rest, wholeness, Shalom, prosperity, Completeness, soundness, safety, tranquility, contentment, friendship, health, freedom from war. So, we thank Him for all His benefits and love.

As CeCe Winans sings, “that’s my King, altogether worthy!”

Long before Jesus was born, Isaiah and his precious wife prophesied of a Messiah that would come. Trusting ANY other leader (male or female) more than Messiah, is idolatry. We need this leader, Jesus, more than ever. Not just to make “Jesus is the reason for the season” coffee mugs or have plays that share about His birth. That is just a small token of what represents our faith. Being “sent ones” like Jesus, is what will proclaim who He truly is. He is fully grown, fully risen, LORD. He is the One that can cleanse sin. Calling on Him, obeying Him would not only be wise for individuals, families and churches but this One, the One who has the government on His shoulders, can heal our nation as well. Who will tell them that, who will listen and be sent?

We’ve been given a warning and hope through this prophetic book. We have a redeemer, we’ve been given bandages and healing. Let’s use our “anointing” for more than decorating trees or churches this year. Let’s step out and bring hope to the poor, bandage the broken-hearted, and proclaim liberty to those who are bound up– physically, spiritually or emotionally. THAT is the reason for Jesus coming and the season. Then come, come to the altar at Christmas and hear stories of what took place when you followed HIS voice. Share in God’s delight, God’s plan and purpose – for us and those we are sent to.

If we read AND heed Isaiah’s words , it’ll be a much, much merrier Christmas.

RenaeRoche2024

Song of Songs – October

Posted on October 4, 2024October 4, 2024 by Homeplate007

Song of Songs – October

Remember Sonny and Cher crooning, “I got you Babe?” It was a song everyone knew and now that iconic song is stuffed into every Valentine plush toy you can find. Then there is the “Stuck Like Glue” song from Sugarland. Catchy and fun. Those songs were like mind worms we sing over and over. I think the most classic one is “I Will Always Love You” written by Dolly Parton and performed by Whitney Houston in the Bodyguard. These songs evoke something in us that no other song can. My personal favorite has been Ring pop by Jax because of the lyrics but also the melody. These are secular songs about true love. Or at least a YouTube version of true love.

The most supreme song of all songs is contained in the “wisdom literature” and Solomon had something to do with it, but it wasn’t really about him because the words are not all in his voice. This book is meant to be a love story, a collection of poems that are to be read as a whole, not dissected scientifically. Love songs are not robotic mind melodies, they are passionate, timeless and meant to celebrate passion and tender moments.

The poems go in order from the Beloved meeting his true love (the engagement), to marrying her and then life- happily ever after- the wedding. It is a progressive set of love poems. I read these a few times as a young Christian, while blushing. I could never fully see the allegorical side to them and thought I’d better wait to study them until I was married. However, understanding Gods’ love and that He patiently waits for us to draw near – that message is extremely important. For Singles and married folks and teenagers. Christians and churches spend a lot of energy telling their folks to love and serve God but His message is come near, let me love YOU. If we truly understood this, our activities in ministry would reflect that. When we rest, delight in His presence, He fills up our love tanks and we walk through life squishing out the Gospel everywhere we go. Much easier.

This book gave the early church much stress. It is not for the timid and certainly sounds foreign when read in a church setting. I’ve known a few groups that tried to make it puritanical and allegorical and well it just went off the rails. Side note: No where are kids/babies mentioned so views on marriage for procreation only must be rejected. The book is clear that delight and godly marriage is Gods’ idea. We can glean a few things from it but there is really a caution here because many times this very book became a tool for the wicked to sexually abuse or manipulate others because of the focus on delight.

So, why? Why would this very steamy book be allowed in the holy Canon of scripture?

I think there are a couple of reasons. The Jewish people used it to instruct engaged and married couples. It is a song about one man and one woman in love. In today’s world, they are a good example of being set apart for one another. In a world where anything goes, we see protection of one’s heart, we hear admonitions not to stir love before its time and there is a call to fidelity, integrity, and a long-term relationship. It is perfect for teenagers to discuss – better in your living room than in their classroom or on the streets.

Contrast that with songs from today. My favorite cringy one says, “Girl, I feel some kinda way.” That one just cracks me up. Shakespeare is probably rolling in his grave! No explanation of what kind of way or beautiful descriptions we typically see in older songs. I checked out the top Billboard list for last year and was shocked at how much things have changed. There are a few worth listening to, but the rest were soft porn at best, and most of the lyrics were just repeated words. Some of these newer record labels are going for “likes” instead of quality. Instead of being dedicated, faithful and true, love is often seen as tawdry or only for one’s personal satisfaction rather than giving sacrificially to one’s beloved spouse. My parents were married for over 50 years and showed me their example of love in so many different seasons. It matured and blossomed over time. This book is an “over time” example.

Over Solomons life, there wasn’t that continuity personally. As the Bible project mentions, Solomon is an odd candidate to be talking about the Song of all songs. Sometimes bad examples teach us more than good ones. Solomon had multiple wives, concubines and was not the most faithful of guys. Perhaps that is why he has his name included.

Maybe the “wisdom” of this book is that being a “player” is not wise, not honorable and does not produce the kind of love that God blesses. Multiple loves water down love and breaks hearts. “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” is a forewarning in this book. That’s a good word to hear! The consequences of people who are not true to their spouse or “play the field” should make us wise in our relationships but sadly it often doesn’t. Sexual encounters, with no covenant, do not produce happiness in the long run. The people I have met that have experienced these situations share that is a very lonely place and not worth it. The fall out hurts people exponentially.

Romance novels share the thrill of a new adventure but forget to include the broken homes and children. Truth in advertising writing would include babies with colic, cars without gas and huge alimony payments. They probably wouldn’t sell, as the “fantasy world” people look for would certainly be dashed by the second chapter. We need to understand Gods’ design for love and marriage. Intimacy Gods’ way is incredible, holy, blessed. Seeking Gods’ design for romance is a wise thing to seek.

Long term success in love starts slow, guards, protects and grows naturally, then matures into love that is not self-seeking but selfless. We are given a picture of what true romance can look like in this book. Imagine pulling apart the petals of a rose. Eventually it will kill it. You can’t force a flower to blossom before its time or it will be destroyed. Wisdom is being faithful, patient, and true. What a wonderful picture of love but also of Gods’ love for us, His Bride. We begin to see that God’s Banner of love flies over us. He is for us, not against us. We are His and He is ours – we are on the same team. We can identify with being drawn by love and captured by the One who died to show us His love.

This month, we’ve been listening to songs like, “Draw me, Draw me Lord and I will run after You”, and “Draw me close to You, never let me go”. While reading this book, we asked God to come nearer, to stir our hearts. We prayed we would not go after “lesser loves.”

After seeing an engaged couple and a brand new couple this week, I was inspired. They looked at each other and it was like sparklers on the Fourth of July. Their eyes danced and they were so observant of each other’s facial expressions. They gushed with words of affirmation. It was beautiful to behold. They, and this book remind me that our love for Jesus must be current, fresh, selfless, and whole. No wonder the Jews read it annually and with their kids. Those tepid in heart, or lukewarm in spirit, will be convicted when reading Song of Songs. Love must be renewed, refreshed and continual for it to go on. That’s with our spouses and with God!

We were having devotions on morning while I was studying this book and my husband read these verses from the book of Jude that seemed fitting:

¹⁷But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. ¹⁸They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly (sensual) desires.” ¹⁹These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. ²⁰But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

You may “feel some kinda way” tonight but why not take a few minutes and tell God specifically what way, when and why? Why not describe to Him your love and ask Him to describe His love to you? Sit and soak with songs like” The Steadfast Love of the Lord” or “I love You Lord.” Let Him look deeply into your soul and sing songs of love over you. His desire is to bless you – to love you. Let Him look for you and find you. The One in the Garden after the Resurrection is the same One that invites you closer right now. Your Beloved is waiting… earnestly, eagerly search for Him. Not even death could stop His love for you. Let nothing stop your love for Him. He’s waiting….

RenaeRoche2024

That’s a Gift…

Posted on September 2, 2024 by Admin Roche

When I was in High School, we had a concert choir director that came to us from the United States Navy Military Choir. He was skilled and experienced at what he did. Here we were in a small town and this brilliant conductor who had led choirs all over the world, came to strengthen our vocal cords, whip us into shape and turn us into one singular voice. We did not really know how to handle that first semester but by graduation, we sounded pretty good. He pulled out of us things we never knew we could do. It was a season that produced many good things.

One of the songs our director picked for us to sing for graduation was “Remember now thy Creator.” It was solemn, sacred. What I remember more than the song was the devotion he gave us before he taught us the song. Young people, in the days of your youth, these days, remember now thy Creator (Ecc.12). Remember where you came from, who formed you, who loves you and designed you – before the stress of life overtakes you. Remember before you get married and have to please someone else. Remember before the kids come, and money gets tight. Enjoy God now and get to know Him personally while you have loads and loads of time because as you get older that time will disappear. Plant now seeds of prayer, faithfulness, service… and when that harvest comes in –remember Who brought you there and brought in the fruit of the field.

While you are young, plant these things. He was wise. His words touched my heart. He was a Christian and he used his vocation to tell other people about the God he served. Then on graduation day we all walked up the platform to the risers and stood in formation to sing that song. In a secular environment, we belted out the praise of the Lord and the importance of remembering the God who created us all. The solemn, sacred, glorious feeling of that song in that auditorium on that day marked my life. I wanted my future to include taking time for God, getting to know God, and trusting Him throughout my life. The fear of God was not being afraid of an infinite being somewhere out there but living a life in awe and reverence of Him who loved me first.

After reading Ecclesiastes numerous times, it has become part of my vocabulary. I was talking to my sons the other day about these verses and reminded of the Jewish wedding tradition of breaking glass. The bride and groom get married and then they step on a glass and shatter it. In some circles it represents the destruction of the temple and to others it represents that in every life there will always be joy and sorrow, suffering and rejoicing. That is reality, that is truth. When we live in a fantasy realm or merely think positive wishes instead of fact, we become despondent. Faith is the substance of things not seen and yes, we can trust God for things He is wanting to do through us, but the glorious life even when our prayers are heard, is not all roses. Ecclesiastes reiterates that life does not promise perfect outcomes, no matter who you are or what path you have taken. God allows pain and misery to balance our control, to extinguish our manipulations. We live in the balance of His grace and mercy.

In chapter seven the author tells us:

A good name is better than precious ointment: and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth, it is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men: and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

Why is the day of death better? Because it will be spent with our Creator, the One who made and fashioned us for HIS good pleasure.

Keeping the tension between joy and sorrow is important because it keeps us tethered to a holy God who is sovereign and always in control. When things are meaningless, vanity and do not make sense –we trust that God is still Lord. When we have run away from the rails of holiness into hedonism, folly, nonsense, and unbridled sin, we are no more satisfied than if we had spent our days in deep academic study and theological debate. Joy is not found in extremes or things not given to the Creator. That is beginning wisdom and carries on through every generation. Cars, houses, projects of enormous size and charity of huge proportions, vineyards, and song – it all ends in the same place. Nothing satisfies whether we go full hog into liberal living or laced up in rigid legalism. That is not our end, it is not our jam as the kids would say. Fearing God, living life in Him –freedom to follow and serve Him, that fills that deep void in every heart. We find meaning in His heart alone.

So, what is our meaning? We cannot enjoy people without valuing their Creator and distinct purpose in life. We cannot enjoy food or drink without contentment. We cannot have a good night’s rest without a clean conscience and having earned an honest day’s wage. Our good friend Jean recently gave her testimony in church (a Church of God) about her life in God and quoted from this book. The young teenagers, married couples, and senior citizens all praised God for His providence in their lives. It was a remarkable service that represented the generations and this book well. We need these seasoned saints to teach us, we need to remember the things they knew better than to forget.

Echoes of my grandparents who lived through the depression can be heard in these thin pages. Reminders of youthful wishes, dreams and vigor can be felt in these pages. Hopes of a future and finances saved can also be heard. Somehow towards the end of our lives we begin to get the message, the overall picture. I am very grateful for professors like my music director, for grandparents who understood lack and luxury. I am thankful for times to connect with God and delight in His presence around the table, with friends and with music and when all else fails and is in chaos, that connection gives us strength and contentment. He is enough; therefore, I am enough.

Maybe that is why Ecclesiastes also tells us that God makes everything (Hebrew Kol), ALL things, beautiful / handsome / pleasant in His time. Time is another word for season. At the end of our lives, we can look back and see the stretching of limits, the outcomes of our rush to satisfy cravings of various kinds and see what mattered and what did not.

Enjoying God, our family, meals and rest – all this is truly a gift from God.

I look back and can be thankful for a wise older man who conducted our lives and voices to work as one for one purpose – to glorify God. It set my season and my heart to seek the only One who can satisfy.

When you are free to die, free to strive after God instead of all other “fixes”, free to focus on one thing – your relationship with the Creator who made you, there is peace. There is meaning in His words and will. It also gives you rest, daily and at night.

Lord, we remember, we posture our hearts to enjoy you and remain in covenant with you. Use us in this season to delight your heart, Creator and Christ.

RenaeRoche2024

Look Both Ways!!!

Posted on July 30, 2024 by Homeplate007

Proverbs

Oh, the Adventures of the Roche family! No one ever told me that teaching your son to drive meant that you would one day, put your life in his hands. Or that he would make decisions quickly that you have absolutely no control over at all. He’s actually becoming a good driver but the urge to scream when people get close to my “baby” is intense. When he went to take the driver’s test, I was a nervous wreck. He aced it and then we had to discuss the wisdom of keeping that news quiet –until after he left the building where other teens (and nervous parents) were fretting and awaiting exam scores. O.K. truthfully, I wanted to jump and shout with glee, but others were crying, so Jackson grabbed my arm and said, “Lets go mom, no one needs to hear this.”

Rules, guidelines, precepts – this book doesn’t exactly seem like sweet devotional material because it is challenging as it rebukes, exhorts and corrects. “As a dog returns to its vomit” isn’t something you want to read while say, eating breakfast, right? We had to savor one Proverb at a time some days as the whole book is packed with things that make you go “hmm?”

Jordan Raynor, in his article “How to get constructive and sanctifying feedback from others (The Word before Work series)[1] lays out how to practically apply Proverbs. It came the day I started to write the blog which fascinated me because I was studying Proverbs 27:5-6 at the time which says, “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” The Proverbs weren’t meant to confuse us but to apply to our real-life situations. Raynor’s practical application of this Proverb is not only spot on but would be amazing if families, the whole nation could read it and apply it during this hot and contentious political season.

We’re teaching our kids to spot traps, snares and problems before they happen. As they turn into teenagers and adults the lessons fade as natural consequences come to bear. I wish I could prevent them from all problems, but I can’t. Truthfully, I can’t even do that for myself. One glance at Facebook or the News will show us that many common people and leaders in our land have not learned from the Proverbs how to navigate the daily or to avoid landmines.

Speaking of Landmines—I was in one once. We missed a sign and got there by mistake. The driver later became very skilled at avoiding landmines maybe because of this near miss with death. It was a very scary night that I will not soon forget. Here is what I learned from that episode. Many were asleep and missed the sign. Those new to the area did not have prior experience there. Wise counsel can really make a difference in moments like those. We don’t know what we don’t know, right? Proverbs 15:22 states, without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” We’ve been talking about this at our house. I remember hearing stories from Billy Grahams friends when I was in seminary. When he would travel, he would take 2-3 of his friends with him for his safety, for accountability and also to calm the heart of his precious wife Ruth. It cost him personally but not as much as a scandal would have cost. It cost the ministry, but it provided safeguard and trust for future trips. What may have looked like “legalism” to others actually provided great freedom for him. I would add years of successful ministry without scandal as well.

Slowing our hearts, calming our lives down and listening prevents many errors. Taking a beat, unplugging, pausing, unwinding yields sounds and rhythms we would otherwise miss. If the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God that means we not only revere and believe in God but that we consider and seek His voice, His guidance. Continually.

I want myself and my kids to be wise. Not book wise or streetwise, although those things certainly can help. I want our family to be in Covenant with God, peace with God and obedient to God. The Bible and this book of Proverbs is intended to show us where the “landmines” are and what to avoid in order to stay safe and holy. When we get going at electric speed and busy in our schedules, we not only miss important signs, but we tend to forget Gods precepts. They are designed to protect and guide us.

Who is wise among you? The ones who follow after Gods heart and word.

In Proverbs the father is seen in the first part of the book and the mother is seen in the last part of the book as virtuous examples and loving guides. They bookmark these wise words and give a promise for those who yield to wise advice. More than just listening to homespun riddles, Proverbs teaches us Gods WILL. We also see the fruitfulness and wisdom as displayed in King Solomons early life. The other hero in this book? An ant. A very wise ant who teaches us college level wisdom. I really like that part.

You may be familiar with pithy statements like “,Oh, what a web we weave when first we practice to deceive” or “A clean house is a godly house”. Some of these sayings are helpful but not biblical. They are meant to teach young people to live straight, and they work. It seems kids that have parents that drill these into their training, get the message. The non-biblical ones however can produce frustration and condemnation. For example, God would rather your house be holy than dust free, right? You can drag a horse to water but you can’t make him drink”. These are true, but there might be higher priorities in any moment. Doing things “right” or “perfect” or even “safe” may be in opposition to what the Holy Spirit is doing in that moment. Legalism and spiritual practices must be held in the balance of Freedom and the Gods’ wisdom applied may be very different than what we think or believe. I think it takes a lifetime to learn these things. It surely takes a listening ear and fresh obedience.

My oldest son was sharing one morning that we had told him to “look both ways” when crossing the street. When he left school that afternoon, he was walking with a friend that darted across the road. Instead of looking both ways, he sped off behind his good friend -without looking both ways for himself. He ignored the wisdom of his parents because he was watching his fast friend. He reasoned, if his friend could do it, then he could do it and his parents probably were not fully understanding their youthful agility. Maybe his parents couldn’t run fast so their advice was outdated. So, he ran across the street, sprinting behind his buddy Duke. They were older now. It was time to go to new places. What he forgot in the equation is that he had a big backpack on and although his friend sprinted across and he made it across, his backpack unfortunately did not and was hit by a cars rear view mirror as he crossed the street.

Such a little, inconsequential lesson had a big consequence. The driver did not stop to check on his injured jay-runner, instead he honked and yelled at him. It could have been worse, it could have been deadly. Although the lesson was clear, when he saw someone else do it without a problem, he went for it and almost got killed. He is wiser for that experience and now sees the value in “life lessons” from parents and other adults. I remember many things my folks said that I didn’t get until I had teenagers. I’m glad for Gods’ grace, so very glad.

Proverbs guide us. Proverbs protect us. Proverbs instruct us for our bodies, our hearts, our families.

This blog is not political but if you read the last section around 24 to 31 there are so many rich, life-giving lessons that could literally turn our nation around. I fear the public discourse has gotten so putrid and so out of hand that all sense of morality and justice has been lost. Leaders mocking leaders, men mocking women, women disparaging men, it’s a tangled mess. It does not seem like anyone remembers the Biblical precepts or promises from this precious book. Consider Prov.26:27 that says, “Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.” Guaranteed.

I’ve decided to not engage in the mudslinging or even well intentioned debates that don’t produce anything but division. I delete Facebook posts that are demeaning to men and women. I’m not laughing at any party that is not edifying. Memes of violence, hatred and murder – I’m not crossing that street because I know the outcome for me will not end well. Others may run with the story, but I’d rather steer clear of the landmines. I know the consequences for that and I have work to do. I am choosing to use words that aren’t found in bathroom stalls. I want to live in the Fear of God and choose Gods’ wisdom over any political – or religious parties controversies. Herd mentality anywhere takes our eyes off the One we are to follow. I think repentance is the only way out of the pit we have dug for ourselves as a nation.

That’s just my take on Proverbs. Please text, email or share your thoughts. “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” Proverbs 27:17

RenaeRoche2024

[1] Raynor, Jordan. Author of multiple books, a podcast and the series The Word Before Work.

Praise the Lord!

Posted on July 5, 2024July 6, 2024 by Homeplate007

Psalms

There is a lot of talk these days about being stressed, sad or overwhelmed. There is another crowd who claims to be “blessed” no matter what is going on in the world around them. It can seem artificial at times when you know they are going through just as many problems as you are going through. So, what is true? The Pixar movie Inside Out (which I love) lets us know that all emotions are necessary throughout our lives and basically if we suppress them, they will pop out in other ways. Your issues become your tissues is the phrase I have heard recently regarding one’s emotions and stifling them. In this book we will see the full range of human emotions. Can we be blessed even if we do not feel happy in the moment?

Whenever I read the first few Psalms, I am reminded to dig deeper into Gods ways and His heart and if I do, I am promised many things such as being a well- watered tree that brings forth fruit in due season (Ps.1). Then there are the Psalms of going to the House of God – always inspiring. When I am feeling discouraged or lonely I enjoy the songs of Lament. When I have been in a war zone physically or spiritually. I like to read the warfare Psalms. Psalms of restoration, repentance, and renewal – all of them can be applied to our daily lives.

But what about this quest for being blessed or happy? Are there levels of that? I heard a joke recently on the radio that asked, “what is the difference between a pizza and God?” “You can top a pizza but you can’t top God”. Did you know that McDonalds Happy meal came out in 1977? The origin of it is “complicated” according to their history but they say the first was in the shape of a circus wagon with toys, a drink, fries, and a hamburger. You could buy happiness – either in the form of food or a toy. Those who bought it were happy and those who did not were, I guess, supposed to be sad. For the first time we equated being happy with buying a product or ingesting food. This is the start of rewarding with calories. I do not know if the buyers were as happy when they checked their cholesterol as adults!

Well, last week my teenagers told me about Wendys coming out with their Biggie Bag. It came with no promise of happiness. This week the $5 meal deal came back to McDonalds. In a tough economic slump, it was a spot of joy – until Wendys TOPPED it. They went above and beyond and added, a drink or a FROSTY!!! That’s like a Happy Meal on steroids. A frosty? Serious, not just an extra French fry or lukewarm pie but actual ice cream. They should call it the Happier Meal. Lol. They somehow tapped into our real desire for a happy lunch! It is not just that we want a cheaper meal, we want something of value that costs something, right? We were now blessed beyond measure. It was bigger than we could have imagined. We did not deserve it but we were blessed – with a bonus. Extra, above and beyond what was expected. The Psalmist David shares with his readers how “extra,” “above and beyond” God was to him. He describes many wonders in the Heavens and great deeds but also lets us know that God was the one who could clean his filthy heart. David tells us in the Psalms that God not only cleaned his heart but exchanged it for a pure one. We are not sure how He does all this, but we are forever grateful that He does. No wonder David praised Him! Over the top Joy comes from this over the top God.

The Biblical view of happiness is rooted in Gods benevolent care of us. In Psalm 144 we read, “happy is the man whose God is the Lord.
Happy is that people, who is in such a case: yes, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD. Blessed and happy are similar concepts in the Old Testament. The Hebrew word for happy/blessed is eser. It means to be happy and blessed. The conditions to be happy and blessed come after the author states we are to follow after God and get to know Him. We get to be happy not because we buy a Happy Meal (or Biggie Bag with Frosty) or get good grades or do remarkable things. We are happy in Jesus because we have surrendered to God the Lord. He cares for us as a Shepherd and provider. We have chosen to be obedient to this good Gods’ ways. It is more than an emotion; it is a state of yielding that yields rewards – Frosty size.

If I renamed the book of Psalms, I would call it the book of Emotions because it literally covers all of them. It is the true pouring out of one’s soul to a God who longs to hear and answer our hearts pleas. It demonstrates that the God we pray to understands our emotions, feelings, anxieties, and joys. Whether we sing, play, or verbally express what is going on, it delights the Lord.

Exercise: If you hum or sing a song in the morning and repeat it in a few different places, by the end of the night you will hear this song back either in your house or the restaurant or the grocery store. How do I know this? I have tested it several times. It is amazing. Please test it out and share the results with me. Pick a basic song like God is good or Sweet Hour of prayer and see how far the song travels. Psalms, hymns, and songs of praise not only impact us in our spirits and souls, but they reach others.

We were getting rid of clutter from our house recently. It was a hot summer day, and I was weary. The dust affected my eyes, the heavy boxes made my back sore, and I was just in a sour mood. One of my sons’ friends came by to help us in our dilemma. He is a great guy and his support encouraged us but then, oh in that moment as we were walking down the stairs to go to our van, he started to hum, then began to sing the Words, “He’s worthy, the Lord is worthy…” I do not remember all the words and I do not know if I have ever heard that specific song but guess what? My eyes were lifted to the King instead of my frustration. My heart was lifted to the One who is worthy rather than my pain. The atmosphere changed, we changed. He pointed us back to where our hearts remember there is a loving God in control of all our situations and life paused and God came near. It was not a whole song; it was just a tiny portion of a song while he was walking down some stairs, that gave glory to Jesus. Ooo, there is a worshipper in the house, someone who knows they can call on God. Someone who remembers He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Someone who remembers they are a child of the King. It was only a few words, just a few bars of music and my spirit stood at attention and my heart leaped with joy when I was brought nearer to my Lord. Psalms refresh us, they remind us, they cause us to remember what the world muffles and distracts us to forget. A two second utterance of praise to God, in a brief moment stirred my spirit and yielded more praise.

We read Psalms this month and studied them in four sections:

Week 1- Psalm 1-35

Week 2: Psalm 36-71

Week 3: Psalm 72- 110

Week Four: Psalm 111-150

You can go systematically through the Psalms until you land on Psalm 150 where David (in a crescendo and on a macro level) encourages everyone to play every type of music with every type of instrument all day long. He uses several imperatives to tell us, “You must praise Him now.” He tells us to praise God in the sanctuary and in the heavens. We are to praise Him for His great acts of power and surpassing greatness. We are to praise Him with dancing, cymbals, and joy. We hear the invitation to come praise God throughout the Psalms but here, with the most intense verbs possible, we are told it is an imperative command to praise Him with every form, every dance, every instrument for ALL that God has done. If we do not see what He has done, we cannot praise Him for it. If we do not pause to remember or acknowledge these great deeds, they will go unnoticed and not proclaimed. It is not just the weak or great that are to praise Him, it is everything and everybody that has breath. Breath is the most foundational and basic element that we can thank God for giving us. If you doubt that hold your breath for a few minutes and see what life is like without it. ALL of Gods’ creation is given orders to praise HIM with everything possible.

You can also study the Psalms at a micro level – pick one word such as Zara (zawraw in Hebrew). It is a tiny little word in Psalm 139:3. It means to winnow, scatter and search. In English it is compass – “Thou compassest my path…” in verse three it means to scatter. It expresses intensive or causative action. Perhaps God is sifting the content of our path or perhaps He scattered good seed that will spring up when we get to that point in our path, but it lets us know that He is actively concerned about our paths. His loving kindness covers us and our paths! That is involvement and care. I praise Him that He knows exactly where we are and where we are headed. Even my path matters to God.

At times we need to move our feet and hands to remind our minds and bodies that God is worthy of praise. At other times the beat, the words of music carry us back to the throne where we remember our God is in control. Whether we “bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me” or “praise the Lord in His sanctuary” because it is the time of worship we are standing in covenant with God, proclaiming His goodness to ourselves, our friends and the world that God alone is Lord.

I hope you enjoy this book with your toes, your elbows, your musical sense, your instruments, your dance, all your emotions and every breath you take from here on. May you remind yourself and others of His goodness. May you remember His love and mercy. May you experience His grace.

Singing Hallelujah with you,

RenaeRoche2024

“I’ve got this….” GOD

Posted on June 1, 2024June 1, 2024 by Admin Roche

“There’s something comforting about a billion stars held steady by a God who knows what He is doing.”

There are many types of fights in this world, such as Good Vs. evil, man vs. beast, mosquito vs. camper, Trump vs. Alvin Bragg and Mike Tyson Vs. Jake Paul. Maybe you are in a battle today – arthritis vs. your hips, cancer vs. your future, slander vs. your reputation. It can be a small battle such as getting a toddler to put on a TUTU or a major battle such as convincing the whole world that Israel was given the land by God centuries ago.

A Sunday school song says, Big or little, large or small, we can trust God with it all….

But can we?

What if God, like Mike Tyson, is getting old with Sciatica? What if with all the modern technology and wisdom, we are now wiser, smarter than our celestial Dad in the Heavens? After all, we have Google now. It’s a question some may think, even if they don’t say it. Jake Paul wants to take on one of the greats and to show him what muscle the new kid has, in a stadium for all to see. It’s true, he’s got some pumped up muscles, but not the seasoning of the knockout King –Mike Tyson. I doubt people would put up money to question or fight God but many still doubt His power. Even within the church.

After reading Job for many years, it is starting to make sense, now that I have two teenagers. They question everything and want to tell us what new things they know and what new skills they have to compare with our old, decrepit, outdated wisdom that surely will not suffice in the new era. While they have and will learn new things, the wisdom and understanding to use that knowledge will only come after time and experience. When we compare our miniscule earthly burdens with problems like keeping the ocean from flooding the earth or the sun from dropping out of the sky, God still comes out smarter and always will. His track record remains strong.

When things get tough in our little world, we tend to buckle. You’ve been there, trying your best, struggling to survive and then the bottom falls out. In the middle of an otherwise glorious month–you get the bill, or the diagnosis or the arrival of an unbearable situation and rather than your family, friends or church surrounding you, they scatter. Some may examine, judge or give advice — with chemotherapy strength, when you’re suffering with a wound that only requires a little love and a Band-aid. Or perhaps it’s the other way around and you need chemotherapy, but they just offer empty words. After all the noise, you are more miserable than before. What do we do, how do we respond when trials come our way?

At the very beginning of his trial, Job had the perfect response – get with God, fall down on the ground and worship Him. He didn’t charge God with wrong but after his friends two cents, and some stinkin thinkin, he could not figure out how God had the audacity to charge him. Prove to me why I’m being disciplined God! So, he starts to deflect, project and justify himself. His anxious friends were trying to find the sin, the culprit, the spiritual warfare that caused all this. The speculation just caused more layers of confusion. They sat with him, they listened to him. Maybe they should have worshipped and trusted Gods’ character and ability instead? Sometimes bad things do happen to good people– because they are good, because God, the One in control has a better plan. If that does not fit into our theology maybe its time to take up Gods Word instead.

Note Jobs friends– They wait, they pray, they listen for a long time. When Job doesn’t get instantly “super-fixed”, they start to panic and then start to blame Job and defend Gods’ name (as if a supreme being would ever need to be defended). In their effort to appease their own anxiety or “get God off the proverbial hook”, they descend into bad theology with “you must have done something”, “you didn’t claim or decree something enough” and the list goes on.

We rarely see God as angry or wrathful but, in this book, He has wrath – for Jobs friends’ bad advice and cheap opinions. God has wrath and anger, He’s not a sweet Santa, He is just and punishes sin. We need people to know God, the real God from scripture. One day that just Judge will return, and make all wrongs right.

When the suffering continues, Job is left with some options. His wife tells us the first one – Suicide, which is never a desirable choice. “Curse God and die”, she says. Ending one’s life causes more damage and puts blame on innocent people. It’s the worst choice. It rules out any hope that God will move in the future which is serious deception. It shows that the person has very little regard for God or His power. Imagine believing that nothing could change in the next five hours or 50 years. I change apps on my phone weekly, schedules change for big fights and games daily, people change their minds in restaurants hourly. My teenage son can change outfits by the minute when getting ready to go out. Surely the God of the Universe can change a life situation within the scope of His influence and our depravity. We must believe God is capable of changing our situations. IT WON’T ALWAYS BE THIS WAY. I love the quote by Maya Angelou, “Every storm runs out of rain.” We need to remind ourselves and others of this. People do not intrinsically know these things. There is HOPE in God, the One who is in control over our past, present and future. He’s not limited to just observing and then remaining at a calloused distance. He’s got this and is not shaking His head, nor wringing His hands with worry.

If you struggle with suicide, please call The Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. They have options for Veterans, and other special groups. Calling your local church or hospital are also valuable resources.

The next set of nonsense advice Jobs friends gave him was that JOB was ultimately to “blame” because of some sin in his life. This placed condemnation on top of him which doubled his trouble. I remember being a young adult and making the decision to switch churches. It was a multi-layered decision. During that time, I had a leg injury and was scheduled for amputation. People told me God was judging me because I had changed churches. Pretty serious consequence, losing a leg for wanting to go someplace where they worshipped longer. Seriously, where do these crazy ideas come from? Because I did not know Gods word or character, I wrestled with that for a long time. I got serious about theology and Gods heart and have spent many years after that helping people understand spiritual abuse and systems that are not Christ focused. Gods’ perspective is higher, sweeter and produces fruit, not sorrow.

The word of God is essential to me because it will connect people with either a true version of Jesus or a butchered up, evil version of Him. We can only see the real version if we spend time in the real Bible. My trial was a dark time, but the physical pain was no where near the heart pain from people who were seriously misguided and misrepresented Gods’ character. Sometimes Gods’ people are the worst “marketers” for God’s grace and goodness. I wonder to this day if they know Him. Really know Him. We are called to minister to people in their pain and trials – not to meddle, manipulate or masquerade as Gods messengers. It is always a good idea to point people to HIM.

On top of the trials, Job was then left to question if God was caring and compassionate or aloof and cruel. He did not have the benefit of reading Genesis 1 which states God is GOOD and makes ALL things GOOD. Our God is not cruel or capricious but is fair and not willing that any should perish. Jobs friends were long on opinion and short on love.

Another way Job could respond and fight this fiery trial was to remind God of all of his (Jobs) good works. Why, he had fed the poor… Job had prayed for many. How dare God mess with me, He owes me! He expected treatment commiserate with his good works, possibly thinking that was his relationship with God= special class. Those works justified him right? He had not read that God rains on the just and the unjust or that Jesus died for ALL. He was presenting himself as more righteous than others and more merciful than God. The tone of his story changes when God is being accused falsely and does not see Job as justified. It accuses God of partiality at the very least.

We must remember that the Judge that Job is pleading with is not an earthly judge that is unjust, unbalanced, or petty. He is not a lower court judge that one day decides truth counts and another day that is does not. This is the highest Judge in the land and with Him all decisions are FINAL. The ONE we appeal to, is not Republican or Democrat, paid for by Soros or swayed by the latest news cycle. He does not answer to Donald Trump or Joe Biden – HE IS GOD. As God, He guarantees to reign in righteousness.

Let me remind us all that in a culture of false narratives, sneaky deceptive politicians and angry, bitter naysayers –that God is fair, just, impartial and holy. Then and now. You can read thru Jobs reactions and attempts to get God to answer to him – to no avail. The God who speaks and hears does so in His timing, not ours, not how much we rally, whine and pout.

God, like a patient parent, comes in and shows Job who is really the boss, really the ultimate Champion. Like a good parent who does not answer their teenager according to their folly but according to their love and wisdom, God gives Job a lesson in being His servant. Job repents, not of his drummed-up charges of sin but of his weaker, lower view of God. God IS caring and good, God IS Just and God retains His authority and justice by not having to answer or explain His ways to ANYONE. Not MSNBC, CNN, FOX –or random friends.

God had brought some things to Job for him to endure. Whatever the purpose we are unsure,– but in the end, it caused Job to declare – “with my ears I have heard of you but now, now my eye sees YOU; therefore, I repent in dust and ashes”. Wow.

Moldable, bendable, yielding Job then prays for and blesses his friends and gets blessed beyond measure. We then see hospitality and fellowship rather than isolation and accusation. Right relationship, right alignment with God and His Kingdom, right view of true servanthood. We also see Job give his new sons and most beautiful daughters an inheritance – a sign of equal blessing and fairness even in this very early book of the Bible. Old Testament Job was fair and just– because His God was fair and just. The family was altered, Job was altered, his legacy was altered, for the better.

May we learn a higher view of God and His ways. A true view rather than a corrupted view based on the culture around us or our insecurities about the true strength of God. He is good and compassionate; He is fair and just. He is eternal and powerful. He is the ultimate Judge and can be trusted. Ultimately, we are HIS servants. While we pray for those around us who are not convinced or face the issues like Jobs friends did, we continue to pray for them while pressing on to what God requires of us.

Lord, here we are, YOUR servants and we believe that YOU are Good, Compassionate and JUST. Always, in every circumstance or trial, we worship YOU.

RenaeRoche2024