Helpless Scarecrows (Jeremiah 10)

It’s the time of year for scarecrows.  Fall festivals, Halloween celebrations, they are everywhere.  They are iconic because of their appearance instead of their usefulness.  I don’t think anyone imagines an immovable object filled with straw works too well for its intended purpose of scaring birds and animals from gardens. 

In Jeremiah 10:4 and 8 (NLT), God instructed Jeremiah to remind His people in Israel that the gods revered by their enemies around them were “helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field!  They cannot speak and they need to be carried because they cannot walk.”  “People who worship idols are stupid and foolish.  The things they worship are made of wood!”

How many times do I foolishly bank on some bit of internet wisdom, some sure-fire method to solve a problem – instead of turning to the God who spoke the universe into existence.

Jeremiah reminded the Israelites, “Lord, there is no one like You!  For You are great, and Your name is full of power.” 

The prayer prompts below are written for those in a time of parenting or grandparenting, but whatever place in life you found yourself – consider and confess where you have been depending on worldly scarecrows, and prayerfully lift up your needs and worries to the Almighty Father.

Prayer Prompt 

Are we relying on helpless scarecrows?

• Lord, we have good intentions when it comes to our children/grandchildren, but help us see any areas where we are not depending on You. 

• Lord, help us see clearly what is good advice grounded in Your wisdom versus just more nonsense from the world.

• Lord, show us and our family very clearly what are helpless scarecrows that we should not depend on.  They may well seem like great or harmless things to us; teach us better.

Ask and Depend on Him 

• Lord, You are good, right, and amazing.  Help our children/grandchildren see that very clearly this week. 

• Lord, You have done good in our lives, help us show our family this with clearness and effectiveness.

• Lord, You are powerful.  Truly powerful!  For our children or grandchildren, we ask that You …

  • Guard them as they physically grow older and bigger. 

  • Protect them as they mature emotionally.

  • Help them as they grow spiritually.

  • Show them their spiritual gifts You have given them with purpose.

  • Make their value to You be something they can never miss.

The Unexpected Washing

“He had loved His disciples during His ministry on earth, and now He loved them to the very end.”  (John 13:1 NLT)

In the Upper Room Discourse recorded in John, Jesus would talk through many important last messages to His disciples.  But He would show them a critical lesson first.

Dirty feet were not unusual in 1st Century Palestine.  Someone washing the feet of others, also, not strange.  But a teacher washing the feet of his students – unexpected.  Jesus, the Creator of the world, washing the dirt away from the feet of twelve ordinary men – mind-boggling!

“And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.”  He goes on to tell them the messenger is not more important than the one who sends the message. (vs 14-17)

Pride is one of our greatest risks.  The disciples, like us, were not immune.  They would soon be entrusted with telling the whole world about Jesus.  Pride was a real risk – to them and to the message. 

It’s the same for us.  The Lord doesn’t want us to fall prey to the grips of pride – for ourselves and for those around us.

Having a servant’s heart is really the best – He wants that for you and for me. 

The Lord loves you, He always has!

Some Prayer Prompts to Help

Read – John 13:1-17

Contemplate – Jesus has authority over everything that has been or will be on this earth (vs 3).  Think on His willingness to leave that position for a time for us.

Confess – Pray for insight into any ways that pride may have creeped in or where you have been unwilling to serve others.  Turn it over to Him.

Praise – Jesus loved us all to the very end - He could have called legions of angels to destroy, but He willingly gave Himself up for us.  Jesus was Master of all, he did not need to serve anyone.  Praise Him for His love and His heart for you.

The Unlikely Planting

As Jesus entered Jerusalem, the Passover crowd thought He was a nation-changer, a real power-broker. But Jesus was about to do the unfathomable!

While the people were waving palm branches and shouting “Praise God …. Hail to the King of Israel,” Jesus knew everything would change in a few hours.

Raising Lazarus was a miracle of death delayed (Lazarus would die again); in John 12, Jesus declares a permanent end was coming.  But at a tremendous cost …

Kings send others to die for the kingdom, but our Heavenly King, He gave Himself!

“Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter His glory.  I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone.  But its death will produce many new kernels – a plentiful harvest of new lives.”

There has never been and never will be again another planting like that one!

The Lord loves you, He always has!

Some Prayer Prompts to Help

Read – John 12:12-36

Contemplate – Spend time thinking about the King giving Himself to produce a plentiful harvest of new lives – yours and mine.

Confess – Pray for insight into the ways you love your life in the world too much (vs 25).  Turn it over to Him.

Request – Pray for a bountiful harvest of new lives this Easter (vs 24).  Pray for those around you that do not know Jesus, that they will see and trust in the light (vs 36).

Listen – Praise God as you listen to Flowers by Samantha Ebert

Praise – Praise Him for the victory over death and Satan (vs 31-32).