Read: Jeremiah 14-15
Verses chosen for reflection: Jeremiah 15:15-18
O Lord, you know;
remember me and visit me,
and take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
In your forbearance take me not away;
know that for your sake I bear reproach.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them,
and your words became to me a joy
and the delight of my heart,
for I am called by your name,
O Lord, God of hosts.
17 I did not sit in the company of revelers,
nor did I rejoice;
I sat alone, because your hand was upon me,
for you had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unceasing,
my wound incurable,
refusing to be healed?
Will you be to me like a deceitful brook,
like waters that fail?
Reflect
The emotional pain within Jeremiah is not ordinary. He was undergoing the pain of knowing that his homeland, friends and relatives would be destroyed or enslaved because of their own sin. He was also undergoing persecution by his own people for speaking the truth. In obedience to God, Jeremiah was speaking forth God's word that they were going to be destroyed unless they repent.
Even so, these amazing words were uttered in his solitude conversation with God: "Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart. I found this amazing because even in the midst of such intense emotional and physical pain, Jeremiah found delight in the word of God. Why? Jeremiah explained that it is because he knows that he is called by God's Name.
His vocation as a prophet is not salaried under an organisation. It is a divine calling from the Lord Himself. For that, Jeremiah gives us the impression that he cherished the calling more than his life, more than his dignity, more than the pain in his heart. He knew that God had called him to prophesize His will to Judah. Much as he grieved over the content of God's will; he did it because he had such love and reverence for the Lord Almighty. In other words, when the prophet Jeremiah served God, God's will comes first.
Relate
I was teaching a biblical interpretation class to the latest trackers cohort on Monday. We spoke on the same passage. I told them that it is so inspiring to know that Jeremiah found the word of God such a delight to his heart; even as he suffered persecution for it. Even when he was not in the best situation.
It raised the question of how we serve and read our Bible; not just during "normal" days, but during days of trouble or distress. For Jeremiah, it was pure and simple. If it is God who called, he serve with excellence even when he didn't quite like what he was doing.
If it is God's holy word, then he receive them with great delight to his heart because he knows that the word of God is true and it embodies who God is. In this instance, while Jeremiah was tasked by God to proclaim His wrath upon Judah; we can find mercy, compassion and a plea for Judah to turn back. God was like a parent who disciplines his child, gave ultimatums and yet hopeful that the child will repent.
We can really learn a lot from Jeremiah. All of us are in a much better situation than him. Yet, there are times we catch ourselves whining about serving God; especially when we face difficult people. Or we are stuck in our own past. Or when things don't go our way, we quit without consideration for others who have to uphold the load. Or we stay away from church because we have a conflict with another person. We throw tantrums, hoping that the leaders will beg for us to return.
Or we are so slipshod with reading God's word. We don't find delight in His word. Instead we find delight in worldly pursuits. So much so that our identity is with the things of this world; and not by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Yes, the message of Jeremiah is hard to listen. But it is the truth that comes not only from a weeping prophet; but a grieved God. When we learn how to embrace the truth about ourselves and have the humility to change for the better; we find new grounds to live the new life. We can discover that all along, God was sending Jeremiahs in our life to prod us and provoke us in the most painful places; just so that we can finally have the word as the joy and delight of our heart. Amen.
Rest
Every Promise of Your Word by Getty Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMuq5z1uaMo
Jason
Comments
Post a Comment