A Ripening Process

Hi friends, and welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading is titled A Ripening Process, and it was written by Amy Boucher-Pye. Early in his 50-year ministry in Cambridge, England, Charles Simeon met a neighboring pastor Henry Venn and his daughters.

After the visit, the daughters remarked how harsh and self-assertive the young man seemed. In response, Venn asked his daughters to pick a peach from the trees. When they wondered why their father would want the unripe fruit, he responded, Well, my dears, it is green now, and we must wait.

But a little more sun and a few more showers and the peach will be ripe and sweet. So it is with Mr. Simeon. Over the years, Simeon did soften through God's transforming grace. One reason was his commitment to read the Bible and pray every day. A friend who stayed with him for a few months witnessed this practice and remarked, Here was the secret of his great grace and spiritual strength. Simeon, in his daily time with God, followed the practice of the prophet Jeremiah, who faithfully listened for God's words. Jeremiah depended on them so much that he said in Jeremiah chapter 15, When your words came, I ate them. He mulled and chewed over God's words, which were his joy and his heart's delight. If we too resemble a sour green fruit, we can trust that God will help to soften us through his Spirit as we get to know him through reading and obeying the Scriptures.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Jeremiah chapter 15, verses 15 through 18. Lord, you understand. Remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors. You are longsuffering. Do not take me away. Think of how I suffer reproach for your sake. When your words came, I ate them. They were my joy and my heart's delight. For I bear your name, Lord God Almighty. I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them. I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation.

Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails. Let's pray. Dear God, when we think of Jeremiah, we can relate to him finding his strength in the words of scripture. Help us to be influenced by the wisdom of your word and not the words of those around us. Mold and shape us more and more in the image and character of Christ so that our lives would honor you and draw people to you. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Everything's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.