Day 219

Jun 7: Jeremiah 12-14

In chapter 12, Jeremiah gets pretty angry and upset at his people and society:

vs 2b "You are always on their lips but far from their hearts. 3 Yet you know me, O Lord; you see me and test my thoughts about you. Drag them off like sheep to be butchered! Set them apart for the day of slaughter!"

God wisely answers; vs 5 "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?"

What's going on in this passage? Jeremiah is just straight up complaining. Although his motives for complaining are most likely out of holy anger for the evil doings of his fellow people, he is looking for a quick solution, he is looking for God to just wipe these people out.

Our generation definitely relates to this. In a society filled with technological advancements, we're so used to having things done quickly that we have no perseverance or grit. We burn out easily and give up easily, not seeing things through to the end.

As Christians, this poses big problems on our ministries and our walk with God in general. We may stumble often, quit our ministries, give up on relationships, maybe even leave the church. Instead of relying on our own strengths though, we must rely on God to fill us. We shouldn't hold back or be fearful of burn out or exhaustion in serving because it is exactly in those times that God will take control and show us why He is so sovereign. Do we doubt that God will fill us when we are serving his kingdom wholeheartedly? Do we doubt that he'd leave us hanging, exhausted and wiped out for serving him?

In 1 Kings: 18-19, Elijah is busy serving God, putting on the spectacle at Mount Carmel, showing up all the false prophets of false gods as God brings fire down on the water drenched altar that Elijah set up. After this, Elijah runs away as Jezebel hears of the news and is out for his life. Elijah was really afraid and comes upon a broom tree "and prayed that he might die. I have had enough, Lord, he said. Take my life" What does God do then for the exhausted and burnt out Elijah? He sends an angel and feeds him twice and "strengthened by that food, [Elijah] traveled forty days and forty nights."

God's provision for Elijah here is pretty astounding. Elijah goes from complete exhaustion and despair, to being able to travel forty days and forty nights in a matter of an afternoon. How great is God's power in our lives? What do we have to fear? When we plug into the eternal power source that we have in God, we can serve wholeheartedly without a worry in the world.