Day 297: When serving brings sorrow – Jeremiah 15 vs 11 – 21
10 Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth, a man with whom the whole land strives and contends! I've neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me. 11-12 The Lord said, ‘Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will make your enemies plead with you in times of disaster and times of distress. Can a man break iron - iron from the north - or bronze?' 13-14 ‘Your wealth and your treasures I will give as plunder, without charge, because of all your sins throughout your country. I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for my anger will kindle a fire that will burn against you.’
15-17 Lord, you understand; remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors. You are long-suffering - don't take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for your sake. When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty. I never sat in the company of revellers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation. 18 Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails.
19-21 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘ If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them. I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you,’ declares the Lord. ‘I will save you from the hands of the wicked and deliver you from the grasp of the cruel.’ Jeremiah 15:11-21 New International Version
Jeremiah was sent by God to preach a terribly sad message to the people of Jerusalem and to the nation. (vs 13-14) Verse 10 describes how he ended up feeling because everyone despised him. But his sorrow went even deeper. What does vs 18 tell us about the low point he reached?
He felt that even God had somehow failed him. Had he perhaps hoped that the people would respond to his preaching and repent before God? He also knew that the coming destruction by the Babylonians would affect his life too! What was the first bit of encouragement God gave to him in vs 11-12?
He promises to make Jeremiah stronger than his enemies (as strong as iron and bronze). He said that Jeremiahs enemies would end up depending on him for help. This actually happened just before the Babylonians attacked when even the King of Israel turned to Jeremiah for 'a word from the Lord'. And when Jerusalem finally fell, God caused even the Babylonians to have mercy on Jeremiah and he wasn't kept as a captive. But, despite those words of encouragement, Jeremiah still felt let down. What does he say about his life in verses 15-17 which made the sorrows he was going through seem so unfair.
He loved God's word and was never a part of the booze parties and lifestyles of those who thought little of God. Yet his life was very lonely because he had spoken out about the sins of the people. Many Christians go through similar things. They've not joined in activities they knew were wrong in God's sight, and may've even spoken out against perversions in society. Having the courage to tell people what God's word says about the sins they love so much will often be a lonely path. But what was God's response to the 'self-pity' Jeremiah may have been slipping into? (vs 19-21)
Jeremiah needed to repent of such negative thinking about God. It's not that God doesn't care about the hard times and loneliness we may be going through – but He doesn't want us to wallow in self pity. He didn't want Jeremiah to give up speaking His words and promised to make Jeremiah stronger than those who were so against him. When serving God leads to sorrows we should remember the promise God gave through the prophet Isaiah when He said: “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)