‘Ok God, Let’s Get Real!’
My Bible study of the book of Jeremiah has now taken me to a very interesting passage: Jeremiah 20:7-18. I have copied a portion below.
Jeremiah 20:7-9
O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou are stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mockery me.
For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the Word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me and a derision daily.
Then I said, I will not make mention of him, more speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stray.
Basically, Jeremiah says he feels as though God seduced him into the ministry. God promised him deliverance and that he would prevail (see Jeremiah 1:8, 19). But so far, Jeremiah had suffered mockery and persecution. The doom and destruction that Jeremiah has prophesied and was promised against his enemies had not come. In fact, just before this prayer, Jeremiah had been released from the stocks after being smote by the chief governor of the temple for prophesying God’s message. In addition, he couldn’t marry, have children, attend feasts, or attend funerals (Jeremiah 16:1-9) which would have contributed to his reputation as an outcast.
This passage certainly does seem to validate the nicknames attributed to Jeremiah by many as the “weeping prophet” and “cry-baby” since this is one of many segments of Scripture in Jeremiah where he basically complains to God about his personal situation (other passages are: 11:18-23, 12:1-6, 15:10-21, 17:14-18, 18:18-23 – See, I told you there were many!). However, I don’t feel as though these nicknames are completely fair.
As I persevere through Jeremiah, I actually have come to appreciate these sections which reflect Jeremiah’s raw emotion regarding his ministry. Sometimes we think of Biblical figures and prophets as super heroes and forget that they were human beings with human emotion, finite knowledge, and flaws. The danger of forgetting the humanity of the prophets and Biblical people is that we run into the possibility of believing that we are not capable of God using us in such a way; that we are not strong enough. These men and women served God at enormous personal cost: physically and emotionally! But, they remained faithful when temptation to quit nagged at them. If they can do it, so can we! But it isn’t easy.
Whenever I read these passages, I feel as though Jeremiah is getting ‘real’ with God. I find it refreshing. He could have just walked away from God and abandoned his ministry. Instead, he laid out his feelings to God with brutal honesty. His words to God may seem harsh (and in all truth are unfair), but he feels confident enough to come before GOD and lay bare his heart. I can tell you right now: I am thankful that I serve a God that I can talk to honestly about my situations and my emotions. I don’t serve a God who is so separated from me that He cannot understand me or care for me. I serve a God who listens, even to the small things.
The key is: to go to God with EVERYTHING. Note that Jeremiah didn’t go off and brood on his own or to another person. He took everything to God in prayer – even his dissatisfaction. There are other examples of this in Scripture. Habakkuk comes to mind immediately as a prophet unafraid to kneel before God and ask the hard questions that were plaguing his heart.
When we continue through the passage, after Jeremiah reveals his discontent with his calling, he does not stop there. He goes on to confirm his dedication to God and his belief that what God said would happen would indeed occur.
Jeremiah 20:11-13
But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.
But, O Lord of Hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.
Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.
So, yes, Jeremiah somewhat ‘complained’ about his difficulties, but he never renounced his devotion to God. He understood that God is faithful. Also note that Jeremiah’s call to vengeance may seem harsh, but he calls for God to enact vengeance.
In conclusion, the Christian life is hard. I warn my boys of this fact often. You will be mocked. You will be called ‘stupid’. You may lose friends. One day, you may even lose your life. We hear the blessings that are promised to us in the Bible and that Christ will prevail in the end. But these blessings and God’s victory will happen in God’s time, not our time. We are promised success through Jesus Christ, but that doesn’t exempt us from experiencing trials now. In fact, Jesus warns us in Luke 9:23-24: “And [Jesus] said unto them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whomsoever shall save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it.” Jesus didn’t promise that it would be easy.
Many come to Christianity because they like the message, however, the don’t stay because they don’t like the trials. These folks want the victory without the hard work. They love the message not the Saviour who brings the message. Jeremiah, despite his personal emotions and physical persecution, stayed true to the message because he loved God and knew God to be faithful. He had to “pick up his cross daily” and he is blatantly honest about how hard it is. He is human after all – like you and me.
How can we successfully stay true to God through difficult trials and persecution? Bring our needs to God and remember that God is faithful!