My Soul Will Weep in Secret for Your Pride

 Hear and give ear:

Do not be proud,

For the LORD has spoken.

Give glory to the LORD your God

Before He causes darkness,

And before your feet stumble

On the dark mountains,

And while you are looking for light,

He turns it into the shadow of death

And makes it dense darkness.

But if you will not hear it,

My soul will weep in secret for your pride;

My eyes will weep bitterly

And run down with tears,

Because the LORD's flock has been taken captive.—Jeremiah 13:15-17 (emphasis mine)

Reading through the book of Jeremiah always makes me weep because Jeremiah wept and grieved for those to whom he preached.   Such a beautiful picture!  Such a wonderful example for each of us. Warren Wiersbe says this of Jeremiah:  "he was bold before men and heart-broken before God".  

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.

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 preached 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. 

Oh Father...give me a heart like Jeremiah!  Help me to dwell in mercy and love...may I draw near to You in brokenness and prayer for those people You have placed in my life that need You.