Yesterday I shared my expanding appreciation for Jeremiah 15:16 -17. But here, as Paul Harvey used to say, is the rest of the story.
If I were Jeremiah I would have considered punting the prophet gig. He was not on anybody's A list. Resistance is a massive trivialization of what he was experiencing from those to whom he spoke God's Word. So yeah, in the face of that much abuse, pack the bags, head to the beach, chill.
Not Jeremiah.
Look at Jeremiah 20:8 - 9. Couple of observations. First, Jeremiah says that the Word has resulted in reproach and derision. Think of that. He was so identified with God's Word that the people in the course of rejecting that Word, lumped Jeremiah into their rejection. Rejecting the Word and rejecting Jeremiah was the same thing.
How did Jeremiah respond to that? It was impossible for him to stop. The Word was such a part of his life and thinking that it burst forth from him even in the face of intentional, sustained, cruelty. Oh My.
The Word of God was not an interesting study. It was not something with which he engaged in his off hours. It was his life. It defined him. It overflowed, informed, and permeated all that he did and said.
He could not help himself. He spoke it regardless of the consequences.
I wonder is it the case that our Lord expects that type of devotion from us, or is Jeremiah unique?
Not Jeremiah.
Look at Jeremiah 20:8 - 9. Couple of observations. First, Jeremiah says that the Word has resulted in reproach and derision. Think of that. He was so identified with God's Word that the people in the course of rejecting that Word, lumped Jeremiah into their rejection. Rejecting the Word and rejecting Jeremiah was the same thing.
How did Jeremiah respond to that? It was impossible for him to stop. The Word was such a part of his life and thinking that it burst forth from him even in the face of intentional, sustained, cruelty. Oh My.
The Word of God was not an interesting study. It was not something with which he engaged in his off hours. It was his life. It defined him. It overflowed, informed, and permeated all that he did and said.
He could not help himself. He spoke it regardless of the consequences.
I wonder is it the case that our Lord expects that type of devotion from us, or is Jeremiah unique?
No comments:
Post a Comment