“Remember that I
stood before you to speak good for them, and to turn away your wrath from
them" Jeremiah 18:20.
Even when the
righteous are men beloved of God like Noah and Daniel, sometimes God still
denies bail for a people under the arrest of His judgment. Jeremiah, for
instance, boldly testified against the sins of the times and interceded in
earnest prayer for the people; but he could not convert them by preaching or
divert God's wrath by praying. Finally the Jews asked him not to prophesy
against them any more and God commanded him to stop praying for the nation.
Judgment hovered
like an eagle closing in on her prey. And the only thing that eased Jeremiah's
heart, swollen with grief for Israel's sins, was his memory of sincerity to God
and man: "Remember that I stood before you to speak good for them, and to
turn away your wrath from them" Jeremiah 18:20. It is as if he had said,
"Lord, I cannot make this rebellious generation repent of their sins, and
I cannot seem to prevail with You to reverse Your decree of punishment; but I
have been faithful in my place both to You and to them."
On the contrary,
horror and a terrified spirit is the portion of hypocrites in seasons of
judgments. Pashur, for example, was a bitter enemy of Jeremiah and of the
prophet's message from God. He put in long efforts to soothe the king with vain
hope of golden days just ahead. And all this against the Word of the Lord at
the mouth of Jeremiah! When the storm began to fall in torrents of judgment,
Jeremiah tore away all such imaginary shelter by telling Pashur he would carry
a personal brand of God's anger, besides sharing in the common calamity of the
people Jeremiah 20.
Sincerity
strengthens the Christian deprived of the chance to serve God. If a servant of
Christ could choose any affliction, he would select everything else before he
would endure the pain of being a broken instrument, unserviceable to God. A
devoted servant values his life by the opportunities he has to glorify God.”
Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete
Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell.
http://www.moodypublishers.com/pub_productDetail.aspx?id=41823&pid=53617
No comments:
Post a Comment