To my precious daughters...Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,
As you know, Pastor Ed is teaching through the Book of Jeremiah on Sunday mornings. In his introduction he promised that we would weep as he taught through it...I began weeping as soon as he began reading the first few verses. Jeremiah was faithful to preach what God told him to preach. He preached the message of judgment to the nation of Judah. He preached to the hard-hearted...he preached to those who did the right things outwardly but had hearts that were far from God....he had no converts in 42 years of preaching...he was despised, persecuted and tortured for his ministry ...AND YET...Jeremiah wept and grieved for those people to whom he preached...people who turned away from their God and his message. WOW!
What is the application for us...The first one is that Jeremiah was FAITHFUL to do that which the Lord had called him to do and left the results up to God. I love that the Lord does not require us to be successful...just obedient. Jeremiah has my deep admiration...I want to endure as this man. Jeremiah was faithful to preach the message the Lord laid on his heart DESPITE the discouragement he must have often felt. A message that no one wanted to hear. A message that made him the butt of jokes, ridicule, humiliation and torture...and remember no one responded. What an example to us! Resolve like Jeremiah to do what God calls you to do...to surrender to His Spirit...and to relax...the results are up to Him. There is freedom there...there is rest there...
The second and final application is one that Pastor Ed pointed out...Jeremiah wept for those to whom he preached. What a beautiful picture. Warren Wiersbe says this of Jeremiah: "he was bold before men and heart-broken before God". Girls...dwell in mercy and love...draw near to God in brokenness for those He has placed in your path. Pray for them, weep for them, preach to them!
Love
Mom
