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“Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me always.”  Jeremiah  35:19b (NASB)

In the book of Jeremiah there is a story told of a godly man named Jonadab, who taught his children to live in holiness and purity.  His children were so affected by his example and teachings that they boldly refused to compromise or give into temptation.    In fact, their unwavering commitment to their father’s standard was so impressive that God presented this family before the nation of Israel as an object lesson on obedience.  Then, in recognition of their uncompromising stance, God decided to bless this family.

To my surprise, however, God did not offer wealth, health or prominence to Jonadab or his crew.  Actually, He never mentioned any temporal rewards at all.  His blessing was simply this:  Jonadab would always have descendants dwelling in the presence of God.  On the surface it seems as though God looked past all the “good stuff” when digging through His proverbial “bag of blessings,”  but God did not shortchange Jonadab.  Instead, He chose to give Jonadab and his children something more valuable than gold, more lasting than health and more impactful than power and prominence.   He offered them Himself…and the gift of worshipping and serving Him!

As a mom, I cannot imagine a better gift I would want for my children than God’s presence.  Earthly treasures are fleeting, but if my children could dwell in God’s presence, then they would experience the very essence of their eternal design and purpose.   And what treasure on earth can compare to that?

“Lord, draw us to You today that we would not only know about You, but that we would know how to worship You and dwell in Your presence?  Help us set time with You above all other earthly treasures.”

For His Glory

Claudia Dempsey
TRBC Coffee Break