As we finish reading the book of Jeremiah I thought it would be good to reflect on Jeremiah and the book he wrote. Jeremiah has been called the “weeping prophet.” He spends more than forty years telling a message of doom to the unrepentant people of Judah. He wept because the people had turned from God and were going to reap the consequences of their sin. As a true prophet of God, he could see the devastation that was to come to his people.
He was not liked by his countrymen; Jeremiah often tells his people that they have forgotten God and refuse to listen to His voice. Jeremiah is faithfully declaring that we must surrender to God’s will, and that this is the only way to be truly blessed.
Jeremiah 1:19 says, “They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you.” This verse reminds me that when I am afraid of difficult things ahead of me, God will overcome. God knows how tough life can be at times and He knows every detail that we are going through. As Christ followers, you can believe and know that our Father will keep His word. In Deuteronomy 31:6 God tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us.
Lamentations is also written by the prophet Jeremiah. In it Jeremiah records how the proud City of David, Jerusalem, lies barren and desolate. The prophet is grieving for the fallen city, its inhabitants, and all the suffering. Yet in Lamentations 3:23 we read how Jeremiah cries out to God, “Great is your faithfulness.” The prophet looks to the mercy, compassion, and goodness of God. Even though Jeremiah had endured many tough times in his life, he says in Lamentations 3:24, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.”
Do you have faith that the Lord is trustworthy, reliable, and always they’re for you? Or do you question if God will be there for you in your greatest time of need. So many times in my life, I need to be more like Jeremiah.
-Kenton Giesbrecht
(Director of Outreach)