We recently celebrated the 236th birthday of our great nation. July 4th is the day we remember the brave men, the patriots of old who fought and died for the freedom that we enjoy today. We celebrate the great men who wrote our founding documents and declared that we are a free people, an independent nation of sovereign states. One nation, under God.
Whenever I think of great patriots, as weird as it may seem, I think of the prophet Jeremiah. He was born to be a prophet (Jeremiah 1:4-5).
Jeremiah loved his country. He didn't like having to prophecy against it. He suffered greatly for saying what he had been told to say.
Jeremiah trusted and loved God more than he hated what he was doing (Jeremiah 20:11-12). In misery, like Job, he pressed on. Trusting God with every word, with every step. Trusting God through every beating. He loved God and his country enough to continue.
I often ponder how a Jeremiah would be received in the United States. Probably much the same as Jeremiah was received in his own country (Jeremiah 20:7-8).
Since we as Christians are called to expose darkness to light and speak Truth, which will bring persecution, I hope we will have the courage to say what Jeremiah said: If I say, "I will not mention Him, or speak any more in His name," there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.
God is AWESOME!
1 comments:
Great thoughts on Jeremiah, Mark. I always feel sorry for him, for the heavy burden he carried for his people. But I think he found strength and peace in his obedience, even though he was a pretty lonely guy. Passion can inspire or isolate.
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