JEREMIAH 9,10

Jeremiah 9-10 for discussion on Thursday March 4, 2010

God is speaking through Jeremiah and He is delivering a very important message to His chosen people. Who are the chosen? Whoever God chooses! He is God. We are not. Pretty simple stuff.

So, in Jeremiah’s day the chosen people were the people of Israel. In our day, because of Christ we are all chosen. Is being chosen the end of the story? Apparently not! Here is where the mystery appears. We have to do something. But, we cannot use our will. Mostly, the Israelites didn’t get. Neither do I. I just know, I am Frank and I am a sinner. Because of this I must live under the blessings of Grace and Mercy.

Jeremiah says in speaking for God, “Weep day and night”. We are to lament. God does. Do we? Are we truly sad for the state of the nations and ourselves? Does it make you sad that the people of the nations are so lost? Do you cry for them day and night?

Jeremiah goes on, “Oh, that there might be somewhere to hide”. This is so bad, why not just run from it and divorce ourselves from humanity and the world. We could just live as hermits in a cave, by ourselves. That might solve the problem. But no, there is no place to hid. We have been given these lives to live. Just get on with it. Do it wrong, you will get punished vs. 10:9. Faithfully trust and obey and God will be with you through thick and thin.

We can only trust God. We cannot trust our neighbors. But, we cannot run either. So, we need each other. We are in this together building the Body of Christ. We are continuing to build the Temple. We are faithful, trusting servants of God. We are His workers in the building of His Kingdom. We are creatures of God. Created by God. We are made in His image. But, we are less than God. He is God. We are not.

It is a mystery. We can have the power of God. But, we cannot have the Word of God. The power is available to us to do the Will of God as He pleases. So, the passages in JER 9:23+ and in 1COR 4:6, are very much alike. Warnings. Be careful not to think we are wise or strong or powerful. Then in Chapter 10 Jeremiah goes on with more warnings. How could we be so stupid to make false idols? Should we not know better? God makes men. Men cannot make God.

It seems to me, we have one alternative. Get passionate about God’s work. Turn our lives over to Him. Submit to His will. It can be a joyous adventure.

Next week we will tackle 1COR 5. See you on Thursday or I’ll hear from you.