July 30 - Jeremiah 2:23-5:19

Good morning everyone,

Jeremiah, one of the major prophets, lived in the final days of the crumbling nation of Judah. Jeremiah is traditionally credited for penning the books of 1 Kings, 2 Kings, Lamentations and of course Jeremiah. He was only seventeen years old when God called him into ministry, asking him to prophesy to a dying nation during the rein of Josiah. Jeremiah was known as “the weeping” prophet, he was brokenhearted for his fellow countrymen, often crying tears of sadness. Why? Because even though Jeremiah pleaded for the people to return to God’s way and “walk in the old paths” of God’s law, he knew he was  speaking to a doomed nation that had already become so hardened by the numbing effects of sin that they no longer believed God, nor did they fear Him. Judah’s judgement had already taken place, her ticket punched and consequence of choice put into motion.

Jeremiah had no choice but to tell the truth, and while he was not always enthusiastic about what God had called him to do, he did speak with boldness and not afraid of those who really didn’t want to hear it and would threaten him. Jeremiah would not see even one convert in his forty years of reaching out to the lost people, instead he would be beaten, thrown in prison and shunned as a traitor for his obedience to God’s calling, though, having said that, Jeremiah’s message was not all negative, there was a positive side as well. He was called to build and to plant, that is to say put seeds in the soil with faith that there will be a crop followed by a harvest. Jeremiah’s life's work should serve to be an encouragement to many of us today who share the Gospel, who continue to spread God’s great truth only to have it fall on deaf ears and hardened hearts. Psalm 126:6 says, “He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” Shouts of joy, that is awesome. Right? So, like Jeremiah we are to out there planting seeds for a future harvest, a reaping we may never see. The Lord doesn’t ask us to be successful, He asks us to be faithful. To keep on keepin’ on. Galatians 6:9 promises, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Amen?

Have a good day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all ….