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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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).

  1. 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.

 

                         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

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:

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

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

 

 

 

“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

     

The Book of Esther 

 

“I cannot defend myself.”  “I have no way to protect myself.” “I’m unarmed and vulnerable.”

These words may sound familiar as we have heard them on the news recently, but they were the cries of Mordecai and Esther and their people when the edict was given to kill all Jews. It wasn’t just a news clip – it was their actual lives at stake. When governments block people or there is a perception that the law of the land is not just, people cower and courage sinks. This week, we have seen pictures splashed over the nightly news of politicians, students and even police officers – helpless, vulnerable, and shaken. That takes a toll on our collective psyche. In the middle of all of this I noticed the similarities to this very story and how many years later the animosity still lives. While I would like to address these issues, that is not the purpose of the blog so I will move on, but I recommend this becomes part of the discussion as you delve into the fascinating book of Esther.

It seems like a very violent and retaliatory book. It seems callous  to our Western world mindset. That is probably because our lives are not daily threatened. It  is hard to relate when we sit in our comfortable, safe homes and our military fights for us. The reality came closer as we watched North Carolina police officers shot in the line of duty this week. We hope and pray that “good guys” win but it does not always work out that way.  Not all of the world is at peace. I read a quote today from Golda Meir that said, “You cannot negotiate peace with someone who has come to kill you.” Now more than ever, we are stepping into the realm of possibility for how Esther and Mordecai may have felt. Without divine interruption or a “God-cident” they were destined to die.

While studying for the blog, I paused to pray, and the song Graves into Gardens came on the radio. It is very appropriate for this story! God takes the impossible and creates miracles. He responds to prayer; He answers fasting and intercession. Our heroes risk their lives, our heroines risk their lives. Not just in the movies but daily in our neighborhoods and states. Surely, our just due or part would be at the very least intercessory prayer.

Jewish Mordecai and Jewish Hadassah lived in Susa, the capital of Shushan. They for all accounts were peaceful people, minding their own business. An evil man, remembered for his inflated ego, named Haman decided to try to make them bow to him, to honor him and when they did not (because God was higher), he not only plotted their demise (hanging on the gallows) but made plans to annihilate their entire people group. Not just bad guys, or criminals but moms, dads, teens, and babies. His power grab was so intentional, and he was so thirsty for revenge he was going to wipe out an entire group of people – because they were Jewish. The hatred ran deep, and scholars tell us it was because the feud started years prior. It was an ancient feud between Saul and Agag, the Amalekite King. Samuel 15 displays the disobedience that was the seed for this story. Tribes, gangs, political parties, church or family feuds – there’s good instructions in these verses.

Instead of reconciliation, people took sides. Instead of forgiveness, healing and talking, people slandered, assumed, gathered enemies and the thing grew. We can imagine this large scale because of the Holocaust. What I cannot understand is that many have forgotten that dark part of history. Some have even denied it happened. Annually the Jews celebrate Purim – a remembrance and celebration of the events of Esthers life and yet people across our nation today have forgotten it. Jewish history is Gods’ history and Jesus’ history as well. Throughout Esther, we will hear that the “fear of Mordecai” was on them. What that meant was the people found out that behind Mordecai was a strong and powerful God who defended him. He could not defend himself – but his God, could and did! Seasons change, leaders may change but God does not.

There is no way possible to skirt around the stories then or the stories now. To remember (zakar) in Hebrew is to recollect and repeat something in order to prevent it from happening again.  IF that had been done with the book of Esther, perhaps the first Holocaust would have been prevented. It’s a book about a princess, hardly theology some may argue. IF we read the truths of the Holocaust and understood the stories it would have given insight to the current crisis in the middle east. The Bible is not just a religious book – it is also a history book and war manual. One that has worked through the ages. One that is filled with wisdom.

I’ll leave the current event debates up to the media, but as for the book of Esther – God saw, God heard, and God moved. You cannot read this book without acknowledging the God of unusual circumstances and providence. It was not serendipitous- it was God ordained. Some have even said the name of Yahweh is spelled out in the first letters of the Hebrew text. I am not sure if that was intentional or not, but I do know that you can’t read this intense book without seeing a great and mighty God through its entirety- He is everywhere for anyone truly looking for Him. “GOD – cidences” can be seen on every page.

I studied providence and sovereignty while studying this book and found that there are few mentions of either word, in the entire Bible. Yet, no one can deny that something was taking place in this that is, well, not human. What does that mean for us today, now? It means our times are in His hands. It means we were not left up to some cosmic soup to figure us out. It means He has a purpose and a plan– even when we cannot see it clearly.

Those who cannot defend themselves – should be allowed to, whether that is in regard to their lives or their defense. Innocent and fragile people should be protected from death and those who are aware of it should speak up. There seems to be some common threads in this story with today’s headlines. We can pray for the fear of God to saturate our country. We can fast and ask God to heal our nation and its leaders for three days. We know what to do and why. The only question is, WILL WE? Tomorrow is the day of prayer across the nation, and it is symbolic and powerful but what will move the hand of God like Esther did, is

 

pure obedience and seeking Gods’ face for its’  salvation. Now is the time.

 

What will history record of you, of me, our actions? Will we be remembered like Saul, living in partial obedience, or will we be fully committed and ready?

True, we can hide our heads in the sands and pretend we do not hear or understand. We can brush it off and some other person will step up. But surely, God will bring deliverance for His people. But, just maybe we have been born for such a time as this. Maybe speaking up for those who are silent is good. Maybe speaking up for those who are persecuted will also bring us salvation.

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Esther 4:14

Instead of keeping this book as a historical book or memory– how does it impact your life? Do you have influence? Do you have a position? Do you have a title, or reach, or wealth? Ask God to use you for His glory and kingdom purpose now. You, along with others, can be greatly used. While God is not specifically mentioned, we all fully understood what is meant when Esther prayed for three days.

That stirring in your heart, that burning in your chest, that heavy hand on your shoulder? That is the Lord prompting you to do what you were born to do in this hour, at this time for HIM. 

Stepping forward with you,

Renae Roche 2024

 

Nehemiah

 

I’m not much of a television watcher but I do enjoy watching S.W.A.T. In that particular television show two characters—Hondo and Deacon (and their team) are the good guys, and they work in their area of gifting to get people out of all kinds of messes. They also always win, so there’s that.  They are both leaders but in different roles. This is the first year I’ve read Nehemiah (whose name means the God who comforts) and realized that Nehemiah desperately needed the God of comfort because of all the attacks he faced, within and without. It’s easy to say “God is my comfort” when you sit in an Ivory Tower. It’s a whole other thing when you say it after trial, struggle, death threats and impossible circumstances.

Here are two leaders—Ezra who builds the Temple and Nehemiah who builds the wall. I now think that Nehemiah must also have had some serious bodyguard-like training to do the work he did in protecting the King. Guarding that cup from poison was serious business. We also see him later in the book as more rough guy than sanctified guy. Yet THIS is the guy that GOD chose. God wanted Nehemiahs’ exact skill set to get the job done.  Listen to what Nehemiah does in chapter 13, “I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair.” Now we know why Nehemiah was not called as a priest! He was rough around the edges, just like Peter. This guy took vacation days from work, he rallied military leaders and came in the cover of night to assess the wall and its damage. That’s serious reconnaissance work. We know he had courage because he was traveling in a broken-down city with broken-down walls at night. He had backup– but did not know what he was facing.  Ministry guys are very different from military guys and yet God used the combination to get the job done. Hoo-rah! The saying goes, “hire for your weaknesses, not your strengths,” is so true but many are not able to understand why that is so important.

All this work was done to guard the people but also to preserve and revive their word and worship. It was of utmost importance. Why? The Word reminds us of our covenant with God and the worship reminds us who God is and what He can do. It’s of paramount importance. We see Nehemiah and Ezra calling the people to repent, revive, restore and rebuild. It was a team effort.

In the middle of the book, the priest rises up and remembers what he is called to do. This secular builder inspires the man of God and then the men of God start building their houses, their neighbors houses and the work takes off more quickly than anyone would have realized. Seven trials later—we see Nehemiah starting to get battle fatigue. Maybe you understand that today also? You get in the journey and keep keepin’ on and then one day you just don’t see the point or remember the purpose. After all the spiritual warfare, no one would blame Nehemiah for slowing down or stopping. After all, fourteen years of arguing and torment and flat-out gossip would slow anyone down. But instead of quitting, Nehemiah makes room for Ezra to bring forth the Word, to worship. The scripture that shines forth in this book is “The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength.” Not ripped muscles or abs, not placement in the King’s palace, not credentials or family structure—the joy of the Lord is your strength! Everyone does a little something and the thing takes form, and the wall gets built and worship is renewed. Has God been your source of joy this week?

How do we firm up our spiritual wall? Get your house in order. Get your priorities in order—God first, family, knowing your call and the House of God. Repent, rebuild, renew, restore. When Word, Worship, and the House of God gets damaged or forgotten—people are devastated and moral decline is around the corner. Remember God! Remember His works! Remember what is important!

This past week some of my dreams have come back to life, much to my surprise. God has done things I did not think that were possible. I’m looking back in utter shock at some of the things I laid down in days of disappointment and wonder how I could ever have let those dreams or promises lose steam. Stoke the fire, feed the dream, get back the calling, don’t let another day go until you REMEMBER what God told you and what He wants to do in your life. 

While studying Nehemiah I listened to many good sermons and one of them, preached by Dr. Randall Smith said something that caught my attention—“when building listen not to the need, but the nudge.” He said there will be many needs in life but know your calling and what God is asking you to do. Follow the nudge, not the need. If the Holy Spirit is leading the work of rebuilding the people of God, the Spirit knows best. Ephesians 2:22 tells us, “In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”  We are God’s new building project, and He wants to fill us with Word and Worship. 

If you are battle fatigued today, get revived in the Lord. Rest, refill, refuel, renew, repent and then find your nudge, your place of God calling you. He will fill in the where and why and how.

Nehemiah prays twelve times in this book. That was his secret to success. Prayer.

A family or church that does not pray together –will not see souls won or people restored. Spiritual work requires spiritual disciplines. Heavenly transformation does not come from skill or title but from God above. One commentator said it this way: His prayer helped him not to overreact and take revenge on his enemies. “The problem with doing God’s work is that sometimes we get so engrossed in attacking our enemies and defending ourselves that we have very little resource left for actual constructive work.”[1]

When falsely accused, the temptation is to stop or pause the work. The work for these folks ceased for fourteen years. That is a long time. If their enemies had asked questions, verified their assumptions, sought understanding instead of bearing false witness or accusations against their neighbors, the work could have continued. Nehemiah kept building through prayer and hard work. There are many lessons in this book for us today.

It reminds me of a little boy whose dad died when he as just seven years old, leaving him to care for his mom and two little sisters. He tried several jobs and traveled around cooking for various restaurant owners. When this little boy became a man, he was denied 1,009 times before he made his first sale. He kept going because he was not just building for himself but for his family. Well, 600 franchises later, Colonel Sanders sold his company for $2 million dollars and is ranked as one of the world’s most recognizable celebrities. He kept going despite the shut doors and false accusations. We must also. 

You have a purpose—whether others see it or not. You have a call – regardless of the opposition in your path. To follow God means we keep going. Memorize the following scriptures, get them down in your soul and keep on keepin’ on.

These scriptures remind us to keep building (ourselves and the work God has called us to do). Whatever comes your way DO NOT GIVE UP:

Ps. 90:17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.

1 Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

2 Cor. 4:1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.

Gal. 6:9 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Heb. 6:10 God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.

Why were these reforms so important? They needed to return to God being their joy. God being their strength. God being their focus.  What if the men decided to quit or take a break for a while? They were commanded to rise and build. I believe they rose up spiritually before they rose up physically.  We rise up spiritually through word, worship and delighting in God – not programs, events. Jesus is the cornerstone for ALL building. Wonky wall? Go back and find your cornerstone.  The setup for this holy city will put a theological emphasis in place before Jesus comes on the scene. Judaism will become  redefined not by rituals but by a renewed covenant, by repentance, by rebuilding, by restoring and those changes will welcome the Messiah. They got their spiritual agenda back on track, just in time. What is God setting your work, my work up for in the next decade? We can not see the importance now–but God can. Hondo had a Deacon, Nehemiah had an Ezra – find your co-laborers and then rise and build. The world is waiting, Messiah is returning….

Call someone today—ask them to be on your “wall”-building team for God’s plan for your life. Get prayer support, get resource support, get counseling support, whatever you need but KEEP MOVING FORWARD. No matter what nutty or brilliant person questions your motives or judges your call. GOD SEES. GOD KNOWS and it is GOD who will see you through.

Building with you, praying with you,

RenaeRoche2024

 

 

This month we are looking at the book of Ezra. His name means “helper,” “strength” or “Yahweh has helped.” This word is descriptive of God when we say He is the stone of help. In Hebrew its “Eben-Ezer.”  This word is also used for a wife, that she is a “helper” to her husband. Don’t think for a second though that this is just some meek servant. The context in each usage of the word refers to God and His ARMY. Imagine God’s huge army coming to assist, support and help YOU in your struggle. That’s enormous help! They would need it to finish what God had required. What is God requiring of you in this hour? Is that same supply of “help” available today?

Look for the big themes when you study Ezra—return, repent, rebuild, restoration, etc. Those words formed the blueprint for rebuilding the Temple and just happen to also be the exact words we need to rebuild the Church today. It is God’s blueprint.

God told His people that He was going to judge them for bad behavior.  If God speaks a warning, He is not playing. True prophecy is not just all bad news though—then or now. It usually contains some appeal that IF we do something demonstrating a turnaround, that God’s favor will return and even bless us. Zerubbabel is stirred by God and commissioned to go back to Jerusalem and build the wall. He not only obeys that call but takes his buddies with him. I don’t know if he begged them or gave them incentives. I don’t know if they heard from God also or just went along because he was their friend.  What I do know is the list of names of those who returned, because it appears in Ezra 2:2 and Neh.7:7.

These guys were commissioned to return and rebuild the temple back in Jerusalem. Maybe they thought this was their one big chance to return to their former homes, occupations, and Temple. Maybe this was their daily prayer until it was realized. But there was one who perhaps did not realize that this event was more about his daughter than it was about him. You see in the list of those who return there was a man who had adopted a little girl whose parents were either killed or died along the way. It’s possible he even returned and stepped into their lives when he returned. He was a godly man and promised to watch over the little girl. We are not told if she was in exile and returned with him or he returned to find her in need of a guardian but nevertheless Mordecai, perhaps the uncle of Esther is the Mordecai in that list.  On top of God using Mordecai to restore the Temple and return, he is granted to be a fill-in dad. Pure religion is this—to help the widow and orphan. Sometimes our moving into a new season is not for ourselves but for others. Whenever we step in to obey God and fulfill His plans, He tends to bless way more than we could think or imagine.

God answers Ezras prayers in chapter 8 when he requests traveling help and mercy. He has to move a large number of people. People who were traumatized and exiled. See chapter 8:23: “So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He answered our prayer.” Not only was Ezra their spiritual guide, but he became their travel guide and mobile priest as well. Ezra demonstrated to the people around him that God was his helper. We got to see from the beginning to the end of his journey that God was beside him, assisting all the way.

There are many detours and distractions in their attempts to rebuild. Some cranky folks come along and impede the progress by saying the work was not authorized. It gained momentum and for FOURTEEN years the legitimate work is stopped. This work was stirred by God and sanctioned by the King. Those who stayed should have been thrilled God’s word was finally coming to pass but because they were not the ones leading the revival, they were jealous and tried to abort what Jeremiah had prophesied long ago. It’s also possible that when they were rebuffed with their help they rose up.  However, this did not stop God’s plan or prevent it from being fulfilled because God keeps His promises.

The original folks living in Jerusalem remind me of the prodigal son’s older brother—“but we’ve been here all along.” On the East Coast they have a category for that, they call it the “from here” or “come here” people. Well, the from here people in Ezra’s day did not want the “come here” people directing traffic! Both sides were Israelites and God’s people. All were needed for the rebuild. However, those who were exiled came back very different. Some had married, some had lost spouses, some had taken on Babylonian ways. They were more than a hot mess. The new leaders were shocked at the changes. Ezra got very disillusioned with the carnality of the people around him. Those who had made the long, hard journey now acted carnal, they talked wicked, they walked wicked. So, Ezra, disappointed, cries out to God and prays:

Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.  Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God and prayed: “I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.“But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in His sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.10 “But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands 11 you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. . . .

Chapter 10 starts out saying, “While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.” This is a beautiful moment but here is where it takes a wrong turn: Neither God nor Ezra told the people to divorce. Malachi, a contemporary of Ezra, later sets the record straight by preaching that God hates divorce. In this moment someone comes up with an idea and they, in their own strength, are going to make things right. They then followed the suggestion of a man who was in the crowd. Not a revelation or leading from God after wise council, but the mere suggestion of a mere man.

 “Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”

Their solution was to send away the women. Conversion, teaching is absent here.

In chaos, in spiritual warfare, in reflection of their own sin, that was their big idea. There is no evidence they sought God’s approval, even took a beat to pause and reflect on the implications for the wives and children! Reconciliation to prevent broken homes was not the plan. Shekaniah wanted the leaders to make a covenant. Note the difference between that and God making a covenant with them or them making a covenant with God at His direction. We make many vows, agreements in our lives but without God’s opinion or intervention it is just a human contract. Their “vow” to fix the problem was just as bad as the problem. Good works are different from God works.

We can appreciate that Ezra was a man of prayer. We can appreciate that he mourned over broken covenant and commandments. We can appreciate that rebuilding and restoration and repentance were part of his ministry—all good characteristics of a leader. Where we MUST stop short is that when he moves on to lead or let others lead in the flesh, it is not God’s heart that he was representing. Galatians tells us, “Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? In the effort to be holy, it got worse.

Zerubbabel rebuilds the temple, Nehemiah rebuilds the wall and Ezra takes on the spiritual and moral challenges to rebuild the people. All three of these leaders working together came close to the heart of what God was wanting for His people. In spite of the many pauses, misses and mistakes, their goal was eventually reached but it was not perfect by any means. We see the human side of Ezra’s leadership here also.

Ezra set his heart from an early age to seek God and know His word. He prepared His heart to know and understand God. Ezra made sure his heart was postured, set, aligned to God so he would know and serve Him forever. This is this man’s legacy. He served him all the days of his life. He became what his name was—help. Not just being a servant but being the help of the  One who ran the Heavens. Divine help. He sought, He heard and He carried out God’s instructions to build the Temple.

A temple made by human hands with both the “from here” and the “come heres,” did not work so well. The Temple in the future would need to be made with the permission of a King and without human hands. A Temple that would be rebuilt perhaps by God Himself. . . . That leader would need to be sent from above. That builder would be worth the wait!

May we be like Ezra in our day—full of prayer, repentance, revival and restoration. May we know and obey God’s word. God help us to follow Ezra’s example and be holy, listening, in covenant with God, in our generation.

Renae Roche 2024