June 11, 2024

Passage Read: Jeremiah 17-20
Meditation Verses: 20:7-8

Thought

This is the hard part of truly knowing the Lord and seeing as He sees. Every time Jeremiah opens his mouth, he speaks destruction and disaster and violence against his people. That's all he sees for his people, because they refuse to acknowledge and repent of their sin. That is what God has planned against them because they refuse to hear and obey His Word. They think they're safe because they have the temple and the priests and the Scriptures, but they ignore the Scriptures, the priests follow their own evil desires and lead the people astray, and the people love it so! And so they also mock and ridicule Jeremiah. He is, after all, the only one who sees such things, who says such things; he's obviously wrong. He appears to all to be a madman. So he spends his days in shame and ridicule, preaching violence and destruction. Who wants Jeremiah as a friend?

Application

But Jeremiah is the only one who is actually listening to the Lord. The more I listen to the Lord and learn of Him, the greater likelihood I'll end up like Jeremiah. Nothing good ever comes from my mouth, all is judgment and condemnation. It's not because I am bad or blind, but because the people God desires to redeem have turned each one to their own way. They proclaim devotion but refuse to believe and obey His Word. They think worship is singing songs, giving money and doing some church things for God. All the while, God is trying to call them to humility and brokenness and surrender of self and giving up this world in order to proclaim the only hope for anyone to be saved from eternal destruction. If I say everything I hear, I too will be the madman, and I hesitate. God forgive me.