Two Baskets of Figs
“After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the officials of Judah with the craftsmen and smiths from Jerusalem and had brought them to Babylon, the Lord showed me; behold, two baskets of figs set before the temple of the Lord!
“One basket had very good figs, like first-ripe figs; and the other basket had very bad figs, which could not be eaten due to rottenness
“Then the Lord said to me, ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?’ And I said, ‘Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad figs, very bad, which cannot be eaten due to rottenness.’” Jeremiah 24:1-3
Two baskets of figs. One filled with good figs -- the other with rotten figs. The good figs stand for those who were sent to Babylon (not because they were good, but because God knew their hearts would respond to Him). These few God would preserve and bring back to the Promised land.
The basket of rotten figs stood for those who remained behind in Judah or ran away back to Egypt. These people believed it was a great blessing not to have their lives disrupted from being captured and exiled to Babylon.
However, the reverse was true. God used the hardship experienced by the exiled captives to refine them – for their good and His glory!
Sometimes we imagine we are blessed when our lives go well and cursed when our lives are filled with trouble and difficulties. But trouble is just as much a blessing as is times of peace.
In times of adversity if we are watchful, we have the choice to grow stronger. If you are facing trouble, ask God to help you grow stronger through it for Him. When things are going your way, ask God to build your thankfulness and better use your blessings and prosperity more faithfully for Him.
Take care with love, especially His, from Darlene, who still prays for you each day.
PS: You can also find the devotions on line/ on your mobile phone here: www.weakdaydevotion.com .
NOTE: I choose to believe the Bible because it's a reliable collection of historical documents written down by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses. They reported supernatural events that took place before, of specific prophecies; and claim that their writings are divine rather than human in origin.