99 Jeremiah 15:15-19 Tough Calling
JMD Devotional 99 Jeremiah 15:15-19 Tough Calling
{Jeremiah was called by God to speak to a people he knew in advance would not receive his message, nor would they repent to avoid national catastrophe, and they would even question his integrity. They branded him a traitor, a false prophet, and a mad man. The rejection, hostility and persecution even made Jeremiah (briefly) question his calling and God's character}:
[Jeremiah said] O Lord, You know and understand; [earnestly] remember me and visit me and avenge me on my persecutors. Take me not away [from joy or from life itself] in Your long-suffering [to my enemies]; know that for Your sake I suffer and bear reproach. Your words were found, and I ate them; and Your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts. I sat not in the assembly of those who make merry, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone because Your [powerful] hand was upon me, for You had filled me with indignation. Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you indeed be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail and are uncertain?
Therefore thus says the Lord [to Jeremiah]: If you return [and give up this mistaken tone of distrust and despair], then I will give you again a settled place of quiet and safety, and you will be My minister; and if you separate the precious from the vile [cleansing your own heart from unworthy and unwarranted suspicions concerning God's faithfulness], you shall be My mouthpiece. [But do not yield to them.] Let them return to you--not you to [the people].
I have to admit that I have often carried the childish notion that if I did what I was supposed to do before God that He'd give me an easy life free from strife in exchange. That things going well for me would imply I was "O.K." with God, and bad events signaled His displeasure. Life is a lot more complex than that; and God never promised a life free from difficulty, only that He would see us through it. Rather, the 'perks' of serving God are trials, tribulation and persecution in this life; and Heaven in the next. God will sacrifice our temporal comforts to build His kingdom and to transform our character. God delights in putting His people next to the ungodly as they go through trials so the contrast of lives with and without His influence gives Him glory. May we rise to the occasion, and be willing to sacrifice it all for our Lord. It is just when life is at its hardest to endure that we most need to be exercising our faith in God. He won't let us down!
John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
Dear God,
I am so sorry that my first impulse is to doubt your goodness, care and attentiveness! Forgive me for blaming you for breaking contracts You never agreed to. Please give me a spiritual perspective that, through faith, believes in the greater good that will come through life's suffering, conflict, struggle and resistance. Transform my attitude so that it gives You glory and may it add no more to my shame.
Amen
All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)
If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to
my daily devotional, please forward.
jamesdinsmore_32907@yahoo.com
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My Poetry
http://saintjamespoetry.blog.com/
(Some) of my Devotionals
http://recoverydevotional.blogspot.com/
{Jeremiah was called by God to speak to a people he knew in advance would not receive his message, nor would they repent to avoid national catastrophe, and they would even question his integrity. They branded him a traitor, a false prophet, and a mad man. The rejection, hostility and persecution even made Jeremiah (briefly) question his calling and God's character}:
[Jeremiah said] O Lord, You know and understand; [earnestly] remember me and visit me and avenge me on my persecutors. Take me not away [from joy or from life itself] in Your long-suffering [to my enemies]; know that for Your sake I suffer and bear reproach. Your words were found, and I ate them; and Your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts. I sat not in the assembly of those who make merry, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone because Your [powerful] hand was upon me, for You had filled me with indignation. Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you indeed be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail and are uncertain?
Therefore thus says the Lord [to Jeremiah]: If you return [and give up this mistaken tone of distrust and despair], then I will give you again a settled place of quiet and safety, and you will be My minister; and if you separate the precious from the vile [cleansing your own heart from unworthy and unwarranted suspicions concerning God's faithfulness], you shall be My mouthpiece. [But do not yield to them.] Let them return to you--not you to [the people].
I have to admit that I have often carried the childish notion that if I did what I was supposed to do before God that He'd give me an easy life free from strife in exchange. That things going well for me would imply I was "O.K." with God, and bad events signaled His displeasure. Life is a lot more complex than that; and God never promised a life free from difficulty, only that He would see us through it. Rather, the 'perks' of serving God are trials, tribulation and persecution in this life; and Heaven in the next. God will sacrifice our temporal comforts to build His kingdom and to transform our character. God delights in putting His people next to the ungodly as they go through trials so the contrast of lives with and without His influence gives Him glory. May we rise to the occasion, and be willing to sacrifice it all for our Lord. It is just when life is at its hardest to endure that we most need to be exercising our faith in God. He won't let us down!
John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
Dear God,
I am so sorry that my first impulse is to doubt your goodness, care and attentiveness! Forgive me for blaming you for breaking contracts You never agreed to. Please give me a spiritual perspective that, through faith, believes in the greater good that will come through life's suffering, conflict, struggle and resistance. Transform my attitude so that it gives You glory and may it add no more to my shame.
Amen
All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)
If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to
my daily devotional, please forward.
jamesdinsmore_32907@yahoo.com
Short, concise, thought-provoking.
More features:
My Poetry
http://saintjamespoetry.blog.com/
(Some) of my Devotionals
http://recoverydevotional.blogspot.com/
posted by James M. Dinsmore at 10:12 AM
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