Thursday 18 March 2021

Psalm 113

Background

This might be a good time to remind ourselves that this week’s theme is 'Aflame with Faith'. Many of us have times in our lives, perhaps even every day, when faith in a loving God is hard to explain. Maybe, just maybe, that is the time when God is more fully revealed to us, as we become aware that God carries us through the storm – be it physical, mental or spiritual.

Poor Jeremiah – verses 7 to 10 in our reading today list a catalogue of hurt. Old friends and foes alike seem to be queuing up to mock and insult him for speaking as God has asked him to do. He has become a figure of fun, an object of contempt, someone to be conveniently silenced and got rid of. Yet in the midst of such mockery, knowing that keeping quiet would certainly ease his life, verse 9 tells us that Jeremiah finds he is unable to refrain from speaking the word of God: “I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.”

How many times in history do we read of people who refused to be silenced? They stood up for what was right and suffered for it, and their names are remembered long after the so-called powerful have been forgotten. In today’s world, we would do well not to be too quick to judge, or jump on bandwagons. It seems that social media has made snap judgements almost compulsory, but in years to come, when careful historians research and write about our present age, the holistic truth may read somewhat differently.

 It is this 'bigger picture' that Jeremiah reminds himself about in verses 11-13 saying: “My persecutors…will not prevail,” because in his better moments, deep down he understands that God is with him through the thick and thin of life. That insight is real faith.

For Christians, as for Jeremiah, such faith has consequences. “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven” is not simply a prayer, it is a call to action.

To Ponder:

• “All my close friends are watching for me to stumble” (v. 10) is such a sad line to read. What strength do you draw on when, for the sake of your own integrity, you need to take an opposite view to your friends?
• Singing the Faith 702 "I will speak out for those who have no voices" provides nine actions including "I will lift up the weak in Jesus’ name." It could be used as the basis of prayers of intercession, inserting examples –  and waiting on God to reveal appropriate responses.