THE LORD KNOWS HIS OWN

“Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush.” (Jeremiah 6:15a).

Puritan preacher Thomas Brooks (1608–1680), described the England of his day in fire and brimstone terms that would not get by social media sensors today. He sumarized by paraphrasing Jeremiah 6:15a: “They have sinned away shame, instead of being ashamed of sin.”

That seems to me an apt description of England’s rebellious colonies four centuries later.

God’s verdict for ancient Israel in a similar state was, “… behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people …” (Jeremiah 6:19). And he did. Will God, who has not and will never repeal the penalties for sin, treat America otherwise?

Hold fast your faith, Christian. The Sovereign God who controls the orbit of every atom that exists does not forget those for whom he died. “… the Lord knows those who are his…” (2 Timothy 2:19). In The Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11–12).

“I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! … So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace” (Romans 11:1, 5).

Kingdoms rise and fall, cultures come and go, but the Word of the Lord endures forever, and his promises are more powerful than principalities, more powerful than the cosmic powers over this present darkness and more powerful than the spiritual forces of evil. If you are chosen by grace you will never be unchosen.

“My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-8).

See you in church.