Last weekend, I tried to fly to Chicago during the biggest blizzard they’ve had all year—key word here being tried. To be fair, I knew snow was in the forecast, but I also assumed that it was always in the forecast, and therefore, just another Friday in the Windy City. This is one of those areas where people who live in cold-weather states get all puffy in their parkas and tell those of us who live in the blessed South, “Relax. We know how to deal with this. We have snow plows!”
After arriving at the airport at an appropriately early time and confirming my flight’s “on time” status, I was relaxed. But just as I joined the line for coffee to pass the time before boarding, I got the dreaded text: My flight had been “cancelled.”
There’s a unique shade of panic when it comes to flight plans becoming totally derailed. You begin with a detailed, minute-by-minute itinerary of how exactly you’ll get from point A to point B, and then one small malfunction, or not-so-small storm, comes along and forces you to watch each well-planned step unravel before your very eyes.
The Israeilites knew what it was like to not have things go according to plan. Today’s reading recalls their deliverance by God from Egypt, which is the central act of redemption in the Old Testament. Throughout Scripture, God continues to remind His people of His promise-keeping trustworthiness and steadfast character, but Jeremiah 16 predicts a turbulent journey ahead for God’s people: their coming exile.
“However, look, the days are coming… when it will no longer be said,
‘As the LORD lives who brought the Israelites from the land of Egypt,’ but rather,
‘As the LORD lives who brought the Israelites from the land of the north
and from all the other lands where he had banished them.’
For I will return them to their land that I gave to their ancestors” (Jeremiah 16:14–15).
A reroute doesn’t disqualify you from ending up where you’re supposed to be. In the case of the Israelites, who I imagine probably just wanted to end up somewhere safe, God didn’t just get them from point A to point B; He gave them freedom, releasing them from captivity and slavery, and brought them home.
God’s plan isn’t just to redirect us—it’s to redeem and restore us. He may not provide a step-by-step itinerary or a packing list, but I do believe that if we read the pages of Scripture and remember who He has been to us in the past, we get something even more important: a picture of His character. We don’t need to know the inclement weather plan or be reminded to put on our own air masks before assisting someone else. We just need to know who is in charge. And that is more than enough.
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59 thoughts on "The Coming Exile"
They shall know that my name is the Lord. Amen Lord, let it be so for me today.
Lord you are sovereign. You are in charge. You are the light to my path. You are not shaken. You are not surprised. Your plan is perfect and good. Help me to trust this. Help me to trust in your character.
Can someone explain what Miss Wernet meant by the last 2 lines of the devotional?
“We don’t need to know the inclement weather plan or be reminded to put on our own air masks before assisting someone else. We just need to know who is in charge. And that is more than enough.”
Thank you!
And praise God for being merciful to unworthy sinners like us!
I so agree Sue, that is what stuck out for me. And that A reroute doesn’t disqualify us from where we are meant to be. Such helpful words in a season of stormy change and when it all feel upside down!
I spend a lot of time worrying and trying to control how things go. I know it’s useless and it doesn’t do me any good – I’m just wasting my energy because nothing in life can really be controlled – but I still can’t talk myself out of worrying. Perhaps I should just remind myself that God is in charge. He’s got a plan. He will take care of me. All I need to do is have faith and trust in Him.
With all that’s going on in the world today…viruses, stock market crashes, political strife, trouble in some denominations, anxiety and fear, and numerous other stuff…the last sentence written by Kaitlin is so timely…we need to know who is in charge and that is enough. Thank God He’s in charge❤️
We need to spend time with God to understand, and ask God to open our minds to this.. amen…powerful
Amarose,
I pray that Godly people whom you respect and who know your situation will be placed in your life to advise you as you make life decisions. I also pray that your heart and mind will be open to their council and that you will be able to make hard choices If you need to. Just remember what you know about God and about His plans for His people and pray that He will show you what decisions fall inside that plan. He has a plan for us all, and the easier path is generally not the one that is His path. Hold your boyfriend to the same standards that God calls you to as well.
Amen
I struggle with the lack of God’s mercy in Jeremiah. I’m reminded that his ways are not our ways, and some things will always – on this side of heaven – be beyond my understanding. And yet, I seek the Lord. I trust that he is with me, guiding me where I’m supposed to be.
God has, time and time again, been faithful to rewrite my story to bring me back to him. And it has been in such obvious ways that I can easily look back and point to some major turning points in my life. In 2004 he delivered me from a life of sin in the town where I went to college. He brought me to a new place where I knew no one. He brought me to a job I didn’t qualify for. He brought me a solid group of Christian friends I wasn’t looking for. He brought me to a church that taught me what it meant to be a follower of Christ, that God doesn’t have grandkids. I could no longer piggyback on my parents’ faith. He brought a male friend into my life who would move away and 7 years later become a husband to me who challenges me to keep my eyes on Jesus. He brought me out of the church I was at before a major breakdown there and into a healthier church where I would run into that male friend who would become my husband. He would allow me to go through a miscarriage so I could grow closer to my husband before our son would be born a year later. Time and time again he has used my failures and brokenness to paint a beautiful picture of forgiveness and redemption.
Thank you, Jesus, for all these women who desire an ever growing and fulfilling journey with you. Bless them in their lives as they intertwine, creating a magnificent tapestry of Your grace.
Ladies, thank you all for sharing.
“A reroute doesn’t disqualify you from ending up where you’re supposed to be.” This really spoke to me as I have recently found myself unmarried and pregnant in a relationship with a man who doesn’t know Jesus. This was not the way my life was supposed to go and now I am wrestling with the decisions I need to make on how to proceed with this relationship. He is super supportive and wants me to move in with him and eventually get married. I would love that and could see that for my future but I don’t know if that’s the choice God wants for me. Prayers/advice would be highly appreciated!
At first I felt dread reading this particular day’s text and feel that similar helplessness at the chaos of life, but the reminder at the end of the devotional about God’s character and how He will see us through the trials and tribulations of this human life is so helpful. In this season of unknown for all of us with stuff like the coronavirus and climate change, it’s so reassuring to know we have relationship with a God who is constant and sure in a fallen, unsure world.
It’s hard to internalize these readings sometimes. The Lord is giving Jeremiah a hard word, and you can tell Jeremiah is wrestling with it. God seems to be deviating from His character, but in reality, God is saying, “Let me reveal more of Myself to you. I won’t be known any longer for what I did 1,000 years ago. I will be known for what I am about to do.”
God was deviating from the “everything is good, all is well” storyline that the people were trying to hold Him to and instead showing them their own wound, their huge need. He is just and holy and good and merciful. In His justice and holiness, He destroyed them. In His mercy and faithfulness, He promised to bring them back.
This is what Im feeling too!
I love a plan, a straight, orderly and predictable plan. But the greatest lessons have come when the plan is re-routed and I am reminded that God is in charge. He is who he says he is and that is enough.
These verses really spoke to me as well. Jeremiah 15:20-21 too. Then I will make you a fortified wall of bronze to this people. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to save you and rescue you. This is the Lord’s declaration. 21 I will rescue you from the power of evil people and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless. Jeremiah was obedient to God and God promised him protection. The verses remind us/me of God’s great grace and protection no matter what comes against us. As soon as I read the verse 19 I thought about Matthew 12:34 …. for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. So yes, our words reveal our character and the degree of which Jesus is living in our hearts. We are to speak life and truth which reminds me of Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. One of my favorite scriptures.
Good thoughts, Bridgette. Thanks for sharing those other scriptures as well. I needed to hear the Colossians one today.❤️
Oh my goodness, God’s rage and anger with His people in Jeremiah is unbelievable. I am so glad God sent Jesus Christ to die for my sins and the world’s sins. I also am happy that all I have to do to receive eternal life is to believe in God, Christ and the Holy Ghost. Kaitlin points out “God’s plan isn’t just to redirect us—it’s to redeem and restore us…. We just need to know who is in charge. And that is more than enough.” I am going to remind myself of this daily, a matter of fact I think I will write on an index card and keep it where I can see it daily.
In total agreement with you Paula Kline, Candy B, and Kelcy Pryor
Amen, Jane K, Sue, Sarah, Nancy Singleton, and Melissa Graves
I, too, am an older adult and I totally agree with what you said Angie, Bessie H., Jessica Thibeault and GrammieSue. I would love to find someone to mentor.
Churchmouse, I, too, have wondered those same questions.
I am so glad God, You sent Your son to die for me and my forgiveness. I know my sins are bad at times but please forgive me. Help me to walk in Your way and show Your ways in my actions. Lord, bless and keep my SRT sisters. Amen.
I wanted to know if any of you sisters have been struggling with the Jeremiah passages? I don’t think I’ve ever read so much of Jeremiah before and God’s wrath through the book is kind of terrifying! It seems almost like those people are seen as broken beyond repair. We know that God wants each person to have a chance to repent and come to him, but it seems like he is done with these people. Can anyone shed a little light, or understanding on this? Thanks sisters! ❤️
I have been struggling a lot with it and I’m so grateful not to be alone in that. I find a lot of help in reading commentaries on the scriptures. Matthew Henry is one of the best.
My feelings echo yours. Particularly within the context of the world around us. I have been doing this study using the book alone and decided to go ahead and add the digital version today feeling that the community of women that it offers would help me process these difficult scriptures. Perhaps creating the desired to reach out and support one another is one of the blessings we are receiving from this study. Thank you for your post!
The things that God says to do because of punishment in Jeremiah 16 sound like the same things we are doing in response to COVID-19.
This really spoke to me and I needed to hear these words today.
Today was a great reading. Her words of ” A reroute doesn’t disqualify you from ending up where you’re supposed to be” really spoke to me. So many times when things don’t go our way we ( I) make it seem like I’m lost, like I’ve failed to be where I’m supposed to but that’s all my plans not God’s plan. I have to remember that any set back is not really a set back, it’s a decide intervention of where God needs me at that moment.
I’m so very grateful to the Lord for His grace and mercy as I walk the narrow path. Sometimes the way seems so clear and almost effortless, and other times, it is full of challenges that leave me quite breathless and overwhelmed. Enter the Lord Jesus and His unlimited resources that make me more than able to accomplish whatever He has called me to do or be. Hallelujah, what a Savior!
We just need to know who’s in charge. And that is more than enough. Thank you Kaitlyn for these wise words of wisdom. Sometimes I don’t know what I’m doing. or where I am going. I place my thoughts, anxieties, my unknowns before Jesus because He knows best! “Sigh” And I’d rather be following Jesus than anywhere else. So thankful for the foot prints in the sand.
I feel like this was written for me today. I’ve been struggling with the results of my life taking a handful of unexpected turns. I haven’t been able to pick up and keep going but I’m working through it and this put me at ease a little. I need to trust more, I know that. As a Type A person with an unrealistic goal of perfection across everything, and strategist by trade, I find it extremely challenging. I pray that I might find comfort in trusting in God more and not feel like I need to be in control of everything.
So much to grab a hold of in today’s reading. The two things that really spoke to me this morning are found in Jeremiah 15:16 – “Your words were found and I ate them. Your words became a delight to me and the joy of my heart, for I bear your name, LORD God of Armies.” I want to continue to delight in God’s Word, to let it really feed me.
And then in Jeremiah 15:19 – “And if you speak noble words, rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesman.” Especially now, words carry so much weight to someone’s character. And my character, so to speak, should point others back to God. My mind went to social media and how God wants me to speak noble words and be His spokesman there also. It should not be a place for me to rant or to react but to respond in a way that is pleasing to the Lord and points others to Him.
Churchmouse & Angie, you have both expressed so much of what I feel so beautifully: how God had His hand of protection on me long before I was aware of Him, saving me despite my destructive wandering; & now as an aging woman with many pain/health issues, my prayer too is to not be that grumpy, complaining old shrew! Help me Father to keep my eyes on You & my final destination-Heaven! And yet keep me purposeful in whatever time remains, to be a beacon of your light & love to those around me.
Angie– thank you so much for your thoughts. I love that prayer–that I will not become bitter as I grow older. It’s so true– I have felt occasional cynicism creeping in lately. Lord, as we grow older, keep bitterness at bay and beauty in sharp focus!
“God’s plan isn’t just to redirect us—it’s to redeem and restore us.”
Such powerful words.
God wants to restore our relationship with Him. May that relationship be my goal in life as well.
❤️
Thank you for this insight. It really helped me to see some of the purpose and necessity of the destruction.
In a whimsical moment I have wondered what the route of my life was supposed to look like from heaven as compared to what the route actually has been on the earth. How many unintended detours did I take? How many road markers did I miss? How often did I opt for the fastest route instead of the scenic one? How many times did I ignore the engine warning light or fail to stop for gas? While pondering all this is mere flight of fancy, I know I will get to my destination because God has given me His Word on it. I’m heaven – bound regardless of the twists and turns along the way, twists and turns most often by my own foolish choosing. I dare say all have an effect on character building and perseverance – both of which may very well be God’s purpose behind the detours. I’m thankful that along the way I’m never truly lost. God, like my GPS, faithfully reroutes me. He is, unlike my GPS, always accurate. He knows every construction area, every speed bump, every delay and He accompanies me to stay the course. He knows the way because He is the Way. Great is His faithfulness!
Amen! So thankful for God’s faithfulness to me even when I have taken the wrong route or grumbled through the journey He had me on. Oh to trust Him more!
I love this. I too have wondered about how the choices I’ve made have affected God’s plan. What if I hadn’t gone there or done that?
I love this analogy of life!
It’s nice to remember that our final destination is set, even with all the mistakes we may make, as long as we have put our trust in Christ.
❤️
Well said!
So thankful to know my destination is secure but reminded to walk closely with God so that I don’t take a needless detour.
In He Reads Truth for today, Matt Redmond talks about looking towards death…not in a morbid way, but a healthy, this is where I’ve been, where I am now, and…where do I hope to be? He mentions how as we grow older our bodies do not work like they once did. Healing takes longer whether from injury or illness. Little aches and pains don’t always seem so little anymore. Death seems closer (although none of us know the timeline of our lives-only our Creator God knows that). Fun stuff, like that.
That is a place I am at as well. I don’t think we talk as much about it with each other as maybe we should. Maybe that is because so often the old are not mentoring the young in our society? When I was young, I didn’t see the things other more aged women were dealing with, and learn from their grace. I wonder, instead of building on the wisdom and foundation of years with Christ, do I chase the distractions of youth and this world? How do I, as the aged women take the time from my busy, work-filled schedule to build relationship with the younger women You give me? Will they even want me to? I’m not trying to be a “grumpy old women…” (that can come way too easily), these are real questions I ponder.
Two pieces of wisdom, more aged women shared with me when I was younger, that I treasure:
“If you want to be a grace-filled, godly women at 60, you need to start at 25. It doesn’t just happen overnight.”
and my precious, kind, good, grandma Miller said, “Please pray I will not become bitter as I grow older.” My response was that there wasn’t a bit of bitterness in her. Her answer was, “I’ve watched it happen. It can creep in without us knowing. Please pray that for me.” And I did.
I don’t know if it is that this is the time a year ago, we were nursing my mother-in-law through her battle with cancer, or that I am getting close to retirement, or just that those aches and pains are so much more profound but, I am thinking about death. Not in a morbid way but, how God has been so, so faithful, kind, and good to me throughout my lifetime. How His care was over me when I didn’t realize it. How present He is in the moments of every day, and how I long to honor and please him with whatever days ahead He gives me.
The Exodus passage talks about the Lord as our strength, song, salvation and warrior. It reminds me of a verse I’ve been carrying…Psalm 91:1-2 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. He will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge, my Fortress, my God in whom I trust.” As my refuge I am reminded that He is rest. As my fortress He is my protector (warrior), and as my God, He is everything in between.
Lord I pray the sincerity of a life lived for You will mark my days. That my actions and focus will be on You. May I notice You always, pausing to praise, and then chose to obey immediately as You call. Thank you for faithfully holding/guiding me on this, “more of God hunt” I am on.
Thank you, Angie, for that perspective. I am in a very similar place, although I probably have a few years on you! As a young woman I had some precious mentors who taught me much. One of the women was what we used to call a ‘shut-in’. I visited her weekly with a recording of the church service and we had wonderful talks. I remember marveling at her being so content in her circumstances. She was always happy to see me and hear about my exploits while be confined to her chair. It made me determined to be joyful as I aged and not cranky or bitter. She was a joy.
As I’ve gotten older, I too have become much more comfortable with my life ebbing to a close and joining my Savior in heaven. I’m not in a rush, but I’m not afraid or sad. I’ve realized though, that part of my journey has brought me to this place where I have more time to spend in prayer and meditation. That is very hard when you have young children and/or a career. My days used to start with a jolt and I was off! Now I have time to sit and read, pray, meditate and just be still.
God has been faithful all through my life, but I am really enjoying this time with Him. I am grateful that He has allowed me this gift of time.
… journey with you. Bless them in their lives as they intertwine, creating a magnificent tapestry of Your grace.
Ladies, thank you all for sharing.
Thank you for sharing, Angie, and Bessie. My prayer has been to grow into a grace-filled lover of Jesus as I age…..and I’m approaching middle age. What you’ve said about bitterness is so true, and I’ve seen so many older people be bitter. I want to be a godly, mature, NOT bitter source of wisdom for my adult children who are now in their mid to late teens. I didn’t have that from my mom. The Lord has taught me so much in the past few months about developing a rule of life that includes an appointment with Him every day. This has made such a difference in my life.
Thank you, Angie. This was such a good way of looking at this new stage of life (I’m 60and this body doesn’t recover as quickly as it used to). And Bessie, I find I have more time to spend reading, studying, meditating…wrapped in the arms of God as well. But maybe I need to share some wisdom with younger women who need encouragement. I raised four children, homeschooled them, and managed to feed them on very little money. Now I have five grandchildren with another on the way. I think my God hunt should include younger women…
Blessings to my SRT sisters.
Have a wonderful weekend ❤️
Thank you ladies. I’m definitely in those senior years and love mentoring the young women that come to the center. Thank you for reminding me that this is God’s plan for each of us — we were mentored— now we mentor.
Thank you so much for your heart & wanting to share your wisdom with a younger generation. This really brings tears to my eyes to be thought of & cared about.
Thank you Angie for sharing. I’ve always believed that who we become in our later years is who we really are, without filters or the restraint of people pleasing. I have always prayed my mind and heart would be in sync with God’s Word and His intentions for me….bearing His fruit. I’m praying and always preparing my heart and mind with that thought, that my hidden inner self is my true self.
I’m inspired also by you and other women posting on this comment. I often think about what kind of woman I’m becoming and how I grow into a more joy filled, content woman who does not hesitate to obey Jesus in everything and lives Him with her whole heart. I so appreciate the perspective here and the wisdom you share.
Thank you. Very blessed by these words and thoughts.
Thank you, Jesus, for all these women who desire an ever growing and fulfilling
Beautiful reminder!
Today what jumped out at me was Jeremiah 15: 19-21. It reminds me that at least apart of the end game here was the destruction of the reputation of idols. The Israelites were living in a culture polluted with idol worship meaning that they put faith in all of these worthless totems to bring them peace and prosperity and salvation. So if God had provided any of this, there was no clear indication that it was from the Lord. Instead the people’s faith in their idols might have been inadvertently strengthened! The degree to which God had to make a clean break may seem harsh but it makes sense to me that the only way to ensure the people’s clear understanding of what works and what doesn’t was for them to first arrive at the end of their faith in false gods. How often has this been the case for me! God waiting patiently on the sidelines or at other times hurrying along the destruction of my faith in deceitful idols (you know beauty, intelligence, accomplishments, money)… each one in turn becoming my master and then failing miserably to provide anything worth worshiping.
This verse stuck out to me: The rest of them I will give over to the sword
in the presence of their enemies.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Today, in some churches we sing a song saying that we raise a Hallelujah in the presence of our enemies, we raise a Hallelujah, God has come to fight for me.
In the Exodus Scripture above it states: “The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.”
Exodus 15:3 CSB
https://www.bible.com/1713/exo.15.3.csb
I’m thankful that because of Jesus, we are not in the position that the Israelites were in! It would be an interesting study to look for all the Scriptures that point to God as a warrior that protects us from our enemies. I’m grateful for His protection seen and unseen and don’t want to be without it!
Amen, Kristen! That would be an amazing Bible study. God is always protecting us, whether we can “see” it or not.
Agreed! That verse stood out to me as well and I would love to study that too.