Jeremiah 5: Searching for Faithfulness
A NEWSPAPER AD reads "Christian Carpenter. Reliable. Integrity counts." Is honesty so unusual that it merits advertisement as a unique feature of a person's work? This carpenter apparently thinks so. He is publicly committing himself to integrity and is willing to stake his work on his word. This is the sort of person God is looking for.
Warming Up to God
To what extent would you say honesty characterizes your relationship with God?
Read Jeremiah 5. »
Discovering the Word
- What was God searching for in the streets of Jerusalem (vv. 1-5)?
- What did he find at different levels of society (vv. 2-5)?
- How is mercy written into the judgments of God (vv. 6-19)?
- How had the people lied about God and his prophets (vv. 12-13, 31)?
- What truths about God were they ignoring or denying (vv. 21-25)?
Applying the Word
- How will our relationship with the Lord change if we remember that he is the God of truth and hates lying?
- In what areas can you be more honest with God, yourself and other people?
Responding in Prayer
Come to the Lord in honesty about an area of life where you tend to be less than candid. Come boldly because you know God welcomes honesty and he is merciful.
For Further Study
Excellence: Run with the Horses by Eugene Peterson