Jeremiah 44 and 45

Read Jeremiah 44 and 45

Verse chosen for meditation: Jeremiah 45: 5 ESV: 

And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go.”

Reflect

We are now in the second month of the new year, just a few days before the Lunar New Year, what thoughts of greatness could we possibly be entertaining for the year?

Are we seeking those great things for ourselves? If so, what is the one great thing that we're after?

Could there be something better than those desires perhaps? If the Lord could offer us some advice, how and what do you think he will say to us?

Relate

Baruch was the scribe of prophet Jeremiah, who wrote down most of the prophecies dictated to him by the latter. He was likewise often overwhelmed with despondency by what’s happening and the things that were going to happen. 

Unlike Jeremiah, however, he was not one to be easily dismissed or overlooked as he harboured a certain desire for greatness. But this could not have come at a worse time when God's judgement had already befallen Israel.

As to what exactly the desire was, we could only second guess. Some said that he had wanted the same gift of prophecy while others speculated that it could be an aspiration for a particular high office as he belonged to an aristocratic family with royal connections.

In the same way that each new year holds out for us a certain hope, encouraging us to dream big and seek after that big dream. While it may not be wrong, it pays us to examine our motives and review the appropriateness of our decisions.

Granted it's not often easy when all we can see and think of is ourselves - how this or that will benefit or affect us. We become equally insensitive towards others, especially our rivals and detractors. We don't give two hoots either to what's happening around us. What matters is just our own little world. 

Could this be our situation at this point of the year - hoping for a great thing to happen and allowing ourselves to be carried away by the grand thoughts of it, all for our own gain and glory?

If so, we need to resist it, tempting as the situation is, even if it is justifiable. We need to shift the focus away from ourselves, especially when serving in a ministry. It is for the Lord, not us should be our constant reminder.

There are great examples of men and women of God who were divinely stopped from doing what they wanted. Instead, they were shown alternative plans that were far greater in the eyes of God.  

"Seek them not." These 'inspiring' words that were spoken to Baruch were also spoken to countless others throughout the centuries. Charles Spurgeon, the great English preacher, was one of them. At eighteen, as a result of some misunderstanding, he missed out on an important interview that cost him an admission to Regent's Park College. While taking a walk through the countryside later to calm himself down from the bitter disappointment, this verse from Jeremiah 45: 5 came suddenly to him: "Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not." 

Although it changed his course of action such that he never made it to college or the college of his choice, Spurgeon went on to become the most effective preacher in England in his day nevertheless. Up till today, he is much remembered for his powerful sermons and insightful quotes. 

Dr J Oswald Sanders, the former general director of Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF), is yet another example. Coveting a certain job in a Christian organisation, he tried lobbying some of his influential friends for the position. Strangely again, while walking through downtown Auckland, New Zealand, these same words from Jeremiah came to him with an authority that literally stopped him in his tracks: "Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not." Consequently, he decided to forgo the position he was after. Unknown to him though, it would later open to him on its own in God's timing.

These same words from Jeremiah could serve as a timely reminder for us when expectations run high and self is mistakenly given special focus. Or when we go into overdrive with planning, vision mapping and whatnot, all for self - actualisation.

A sobering reminder is what we honestly need today: But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6: 33)

(This article is dedicated to the late Joseph Chean who joined the ranks of the great men of God before him for whom it seemed that God had stopped their plans. A man of God cut off in his prime? Not at all in God's kingdom.) 

Rest

Lord, stop us if we're going ahead of ourselves, forgive us if we've gone ahead of you, remind us if we've not sought you first, lead us to where you want us to be and make us into the person you want us to be.

Naville Chia