A Dialogue between Jeremiah and God
Jeremiah 15:15-21
15 O Lord, you know; remember me and visit me,
and bring down retribution for me on my persecutors.
In your forbearance do not take me away;
know that on your account I suffer insult.
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 merrymakers, nor did I rejoice;
under the weight of your hand I sat alone,
for you had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable,
refusing to be healed?
Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail.
19 Therefore, thus says the Lord:
If you turn back, I will take you back, and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall serve as my mouth.
It is they who will turn to you, not you who will 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,
says the Lord.
21 I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.
Jeremiah is really hurting in this passage. Vs. 16 declares the joy Jeremiah found in reading and hearing God’s words. They were like food to him. They were a joy and a delight. God’s words became the thing that sustained him. Vs. 17, Jeremiah notes that the calling in his life had set him apart from other people, that he felt called to live by a different pattern. He felt the weight of his calling to be a prophet that meant that he was alone. Which leads to the heart of his accusation against God (vs. 18): God called Jeremiah to this work, but God’s protection has been inconsistent. God’s support has been like a stream of water that sometimes dries up, disappearing at times. This is a serious charge.
God’s response is equally serious. “If you turn back from following me, then you will have to account to me,” God says to Jeremiah. (Sounds like a warning.) If Jeremiah speaks precious truth, and not things that are worthless, God says then Jeremiah will serve as God’ spokesperson (my mouth, vs. 19). (This is a high honour, to be God’s spokesperson.) Because God says, there will come a time when the people will turn to Jeremiah’s words, a day is coming when they will follow God’s voice. (This is a promise.) The triplet of sayings build in this way, God says: Don’t give up; I will use you as my mouthpiece; The people will one day turn towards the words you speak.
And in the meantime, when things are tough, when the enemies fight against you, God says, hold on to this truth: “I will make you strong in the face of the opposition. Your opponents will not prevail over you, for I will save you.”
When we feel that standing up on God’s side is costing us too much, when we feel like quitting, God says, “Don’t give up; If you remain firm in following me I will use you for my glory; The day is coming when the people will turn to me. Stand firm, do not be afraid.”
PRAYER:
O Lord, following you is costly, we lose friends and life is hard. We want to stop following. Remind us that you have called us, giving us the high honour of living as your people, as your examples in the world. Teach us to stand firm. In Jesus’ name. Amen.