Saturday after the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on August 31, 2024 by under
Scripture: Jeremiah 22:13-19 (NKJV)
22:13 “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness and his chambers by injustice, who uses his neighbor’s service without wages and gives him nothing for his work,
14 who says, ‘I will build myself a wide house with spacious chambers, and cut out windows for it, paneling it with cedar and painting it with vermilion.’
15 “Shall you reign because you enclose yourself in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? hen it was well with him.
16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy; Then it was well. Was not this knowing Me?” says the Lord.
17 “Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness, for shedding innocent blood, and practicing oppression and violence.”
18 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:
“They shall not lament for him, saying, ‘Alas, my brother!’ or ‘Alas, my sister!’ They shall not lament for him, saying, ‘Alas, master!’ or ‘Alas, his glory!’
19 He shall be buried with the burial of a donkey, dragged and cast out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
Devotion
This week’s readings have primarily dealt with the sanctified life of the Christian. Today we have an example of the opposite extreme. Jehoiakim had so much going for him. He had followed one of the best Judean kings in his father Josiah. But because of his weakness, he was put on the throne as a vassal king to Egypt. However, it was not only his weakness, but especially his wickedness that God despised. Jeremiah records God’s thoughts: “Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness, for shedding innocent blood, and practicing oppression and violence.” Jeremiah records later that Jehoiakim even tried to kill God’s prophet after destroying his scrolls (Jer. 36). But God will not be mocked. While, for a time man may seem in control, God always gets the last word. “He shall be buried with the burial of a donkey, dragged and cast out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.”
Sadly, we learn from this story that godly parents do not always raise godly children. Even the best parenting produces no guarantees. However, we do know of many cases where godly parenting results in godly children. Indeed, it is the promise of Proverbs: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (22:6). Our vocation is to live out our Christian faith, whatever our vocation, and pray that God will use our lips and hands in confirming and extending His kingdom.
Collect: Almighty and Everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and charity; and that we may obtain that which Thou dost promise, make us to love that which Thou dost command; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
