A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON JEREMIAH
I love the Book of Jeremiah because I love Jeremiah’s passion for prophesying the truth! However, in my quest to find Jeremiah’s human weakness and in my desire to learn more about God (who prophesied through Jeremiah) rather than merely focus on the die-hard prophet Jeremiah, God revealed something amazing:
Jeremiah didn’t prophesy because he enjoyed telling people things they did not want to hear. Jeremiah didn’t want the job that God gave him; it was a tough job! I encourage you to read the Book of Jeremiah. It’s a long book, and Jeremiah suffered quite a bit.
At the very beginning of the book, Jeremiah tells God that he doesn’t want to do what God is asking him to do, and God responds in the following way:
Jeremiah 1:17-19 “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land – against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
Later in the book, chapters 4 and 5, we get to read a conversation between God and Jeremiah. In it, Jeremiah tries to describe his anguish in prophesying such a difficult message. God tells Jeremiah that He cannot remain silent any longer. He also tells Jeremiah that He will make His words a fire in Jeremiah’s mouth (Jeremiah 5:14). Through studying this, God revealed that Jeremiah was as human as the rest of us, but God empowered Jeremiah to do God’s will despite Jeremiah’s fear of himself, fear of man’s judgment, and fear of what man could physically do to him.
God caused Jeremiah’s fear (awe and utmost respect) of God to be greater than Jeremiah’s physical fear of man.
And God is so gracious! In the middle of the destruction of Judah by fire, while in prison, God tells Jeremiah to purchase a field for himself. God tells Jeremiah that his cousin will come with money to give him and tell him to purchase a field. Moments later, Jeremiah’s cousin comes and tells him to purchase a field! Jeremiah is overcome and amazed at God’s goodness.
The story and life of Jeremiah the prophet is one of passion because God did through a man what a man could not do in and of himself.
Do you have a situation where people consider(ed) you a faith-hero, but you were simply desperate for God to do in and through you what only He could do?
Please share your story with someone today. Encourage them and you will encourage yourself as you share and remember God’s faithfulness…
Kristina Seymour loves to encourage and equip women through the Word and through community. She is the author of The Warrior Mom Handbook, The Warrior Mom Leadership Manual, and The Warrior Wife Handbook; they are available at Amazon.com. Kristina's Bible studies are for women who desire to live by faith in the midst of their everyday lives. She has learned that women can't survive on caffeine and animal crackers alone; women in the Word and in community are united and able to stand firm. To learn more about Kristina, please visit her website, https://kristinaseymour.com/. God loves to share His story of love and grace through us all, and Kristina believes that everyone has a story to tell.
Kristina Seymour loves to encourage and equip women through the Word and through community. She is the author of The Warrior Mom Handbook, The Warrior Mom Leadership Manual, and The Warrior Wife Handbook; they are available at Amazon.com. Kristina's Bible studies are for women who desire to live by faith in the midst of their everyday lives. She has learned that women can't survive on caffeine and animal crackers alone; women in the Word and in community are united and able to stand firm. To learn more about Kristina, please visit her website, https://kristinaseymour.com/. God loves to share His story of love and grace through us all, and Kristina believes that everyone has a story to tell.
Originally published Tuesday, 25 June 2024.
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