Friday 21 March 2014

Background

Poor Jeremiah! Because he spoke up for God his enemies are nowtrying to kill him, and he pleads with God to come and sort themout. However what he asks God to do is pretty vile!

Jeremiah, caught somewhere between a rock and a hard place,between the faithful God to whom he is committed and hisrelationship with his community, seeks to disentangle the web ofdeceit and ignorance that seems to be preventing the people fromseeing the reality of God's love. Lonely and isolated Jeremiahstill maintains his relationship with God despite such dreadfulantagony.

Living in the reality of such antagony maybe reminds us of theharsh conditions that into which many are forced today when allthey can do is to plead with God for help, disbelieving that theworld can ignore their needs so much. Probably they, too, long forinjury and insult to be thrown at their captors because theirliving conditions are so atrocious, just as Jeremiah did.

But this passage illustrates for us their strength of faith andneed for God. Not only are we told of God's faithfulness toJeremiah, but in their great need they are faithful to God andperhaps more so than we ourselves can be who have no atrocitiesthat can compare with theirs.

To Ponder

• Consider times when you may have felt lonely and isolated, andwondered what on earth God was doing. See if you can notice whereGod was.

• The people of Syria and all the other places in the world wherethere is cruel neglect of humanitarian need only have us to turnto. Perhaps you could suggest that a candle is lit in your churchfor such nations of God's people or light one in your home atmealtimes to give thanks for all that you have.

• In your prayer life, ask God to help you stand up to evil (asJeremiah did) no matter where it maybe, so that our communities maysee God's love in action.