Devotion 8.25.26
Jeremiah 15
15 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?
Jeremiah takes his complaint to God after noting his faithful following of God as God had assigned his prophet.
What were you doing in your youth? Working the farm? Working for someone in the city? Going to youth events at church? Hanging out at the park waiting to play pick-up basketball? Taking care of your car - getting the engine overhauled to make some raw sound as you shined the body up to make it look cool? Playing sports in high school?
Jeremiah was called by God to be his prophet to a wayward Israel about that age. He likely was scared to near-death. It's recorded that way in Jeremiah 1 . You can hear Jeremiah's youthful fear throughout the book. God takes on a father-like role in his life consequently.
Jeremiah may be the whiniest of the prophets, but he consistently goes to God with his hurt, his wound, and expresses his complaint to God.
In today's complaint, his youth still shows itself. Jeremiah asks for God to watch over him from the evil people from whom he feels persecuted. He looks wistfully on a time before now when God gave him his words and he "ate them." He then reflects and complains that God not leave him high and dry by saying, to God, "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?"
In our prayer before we hear the scripture readings each Sunday known as "The Collect of/for the Day," a phrase is used in one of the prayers depending on the Sunday that we "hear, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest God's Word." Jeremiah points to this line of thinking in our prayer by saying, "Ate your Word." Eugene Peterson wrote a book on this called, "Eat This Book." (2006) The subtitle is "The Art of Spiritual Reading."
God's Word does not and will not fail us. God answers Jeremiah:
"19 Therefore thus says the Lord:
“If you return, I will restore you,
and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,
you shall be as my mouth.
They shall turn to you,
but you shall not turn to them.
20 And I will make you to this people
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
but they shall not prevail over you,
for I am with you
to save you and deliver you,
declares the Lord."
As with yesterday's devotion (Psalm 26), God addresses Jeremiah's posture. He doesn't dismiss his complaint, but he does not address it (reminiscent of Job). He instructs Jeremiah to be humble, to repent and to take his Word and use it to deliver God's people. He finishes with this promise;
"21 I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”
God's Word, which we are to hear, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest (eat), delivers us from evil, gives us our daily bread, forgives us as we forgive others and gives us life everlasting.
Pray that we be in his Word daily: hear, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest his Word. Amen
Hope Men's Ministry is a ministry in service to Hope Lutheran Church and School. Our purpose is to grow, unite, and share God's Word to all men through meaningful activities. These activities center on fellowship, service, conversation, prayer, study and devotion as we seek to become men of God as He created us to be.