February 18, 2023

Jeremiah 20: 8, 9 Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long. But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. (NIV)

It is not my call that keeps me going, but the One who calls.*

As God’s spokesman, it was Jeremiah’s job to be the deliverer of bad news. He was commissioned to warn the nation of Judah of their impending captivity by Babylon. He was never happy about his job but he performed it faithfully. In these verses, we see Jeremiah agonizing over the consequences of speaking the prophecies of the Lord. His predictions are met with insults, reproaches, and suspicion. But what can he do? If he tries to keep his mouth shut for the sake of popularity, he finds that God’s word is like a fire raging inside of him. The power of God’s truth overwhelmed his feeble attempts to speak a more socially acceptable message. 

We have no doubt that Jeremiah, though deeply convicted to proclaim God’s message, was free to choose his course of action. I think he would have benefitted from a decision-making tool I often use: I ask myself, “What is the worst that can happen?” and I choose the less odious of my options. For Jeremiah, would it be better to be well-received by his audience or to continue his attempts to hold back the seething volcano inside him?

Has God ever called you to some unpleasant task? Are you involved in a ministry that doesn’t bring you joy? Are you sure this is what God has called you to do? On one level, Jeremiah wanted badly to escape his calling; on another level, neglecting his duty was worse. If you ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen,” what is your answer? Is it worse to continue serving in your current capacity – or would you feel the fire of your calling if you tried to quit? When your heart fully submits to God’s call, you allow room in your heart for the joy he promised for those who serve him. You don’t have to love your job to experience the joy of the Lord!

 If you could do anything for the Lord, what would it be?*