God knowing us, it would seem is a commonality
among those who belong to Him. A silly thing to say? Common sense dictates that
truth? I guess what I'm trying to point out is the intensity of the belief from
the one known by God. Yesterday I mentioned a bit about David and His wonder at
God's knowing of him even before he was created by his parents. David marveled
at God's all-knowing of Him. He wasn't alone…
Jer 15:15 O LORD, thou knowest: remember me,
and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy
longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.
Jer 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat
them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am
called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
Jeremiah called out to the LORD, 'thou
knowest'. Yes, the LORD knows so much and our recognition of it should only
enhance our worship of our KNOWING LORD. Jeremiah called to the Father and
said, THOU KNOWEST and then asked God to remember him, and visit him, and
revenge him of those persecuting him. Jeremiah didn't want to be taken away in
God's longsuffering- in God's plan for humanity, that some imagine is truly a
long game when in fact to God it's completely different. Jeremiah wanted God to
know that he suffered rebuke for Him- he did God's will, spoke God's truth and
he suffered for that. Did God already know all this? Of course, He did.
Jeremiah worshiped God and recognized the holiness of God, the reality of God.
He knew to speak to God what was on his heart, he didn't just sit back and know
that God knew and what would be- would be. He had to speak what God knew, he
had to use his voice to cry out to God- who was everything to Jeremiah.
Jeremiah wrote- He found the words of God. Not
only did he find the words of God- words God wanted Him to speak- but he ate
those words. How do you eat words? Well, there is a saying that you're going to
make someone eat their words when you prove them wrong- you know what I'm
talking about. Someone brags about something being a certain way and you know
differently. You tell that braggart that they are going to eat their words when
you can prove they aren't talking truth. And when you go get your facts and
return to the braggart, and reveal the truth to them, you tell them to eat
their words. Now, there can be no literal eating of words spoken, but the
figurative meaning in this analogy is making someone take back what they said,
to admit to their failing, that their bragging was nothing more than hot air,
untruthful and in need of being corrected. When the braggart admits to their
false claim people are satisfied that the lying words have been taken back and
the truth substituted for them. Of course, this isn't the claim of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah eating the words that he found meant figuratively that he was claiming
those words of God. He was taking the words God gave him and making them a part
of his life. Those words he found and consumed were life to Jeremiah.
Jer 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat
them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am
called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
When Jeremiah found and ate the words, they
gave his heart joy, his heart rejoiced! He was speaking God's words! He was
using God's words! He was blessed with the words to speak and while others were
rebuking him for this, he was rejoicing to be called as one who spoke the words
of the LORD God of hosts! He was known to be God's mouthpiece to others. He was
known as a prophet of God! The agonies prophets often endured were intense, but
the joy was knowing they were being used by the LORD, the GOD OF HOSTS!
Jeremiah's joy and rejoicing was in the LORD!
Let's finish reading that passage-
Jer 15:15 O LORD, thou knowest: remember me,
and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy
longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke. Jer 15:16 Thy
words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and
rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. Jer
15:17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone
because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation. Jer 15:18 Why is
my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt
thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail? Jer 15:19
Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again,
and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the
vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou
unto them. Jer 15:20 And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen
wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against
thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the LORD. Jer
15:21 And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem
thee out of the hand of the terrible.
Jeremiah found joy in the knowledge that God
was using him as a prophet, however, as God's prophet he was subjected to the
reality of abuse. He didn't take part with those who mocked God, he suffered
alone filled with disdain for those mocking God with their lives. Jeremiah
suffered for his joy of having God's words in his heart. His pain was constant,
his wounding incurable, and he wanted the words he spoke, the prophecies he
relayed to the people to come to pass so he wasn't considered a liar, as a dried-up
well - no use at all.
The LORD answered Jeremiah. He told Jeremiah
that if he chose to remain a prophet of His that he would stand before Him. If
Jeremiah chose the good from the bad, he would be used by God. If Jeremiah took
all the abuse without giving in to any of those wanting Jeremiah to agree with
them by taking their side, then Jeremiah would be protected doubly so- a fenced
brass wall that none could destroy. God would SAVE Jeremiah if He repented and
returned to Him, God would deliver Jeremiah from the wicked, God would redeem
Jeremiah from those terrible people causing him to suffer.
Jeremiah's joy and rejoicing was in God's word,
in God's truth, but he suffered for that joy.
How often is this the truth in life, holding
fast to God results in putting a person at odds with those around them? It
happens all the time. God is the joy, suffering for keeping that joy,
ultimately redeemed as we holdfast during the awful suffering for the joy of
God's word in us!
God will not fail us. Those around us would
have us believe otherwise, that God fails us all the time. When every bad thing
happens in our lives some believe God has dropped the ball and does not favor
us. Yet we KNOW that God will never drop the ball and favors us beyond our
ability to fully comprehend. We KNOW because God has told us we would SUFFER
here, HE TOLD US WE WOULD SUFFER!
Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you,
that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be
of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
IN the world we will have TRIBULATION!
God is not trying to deceive us! God is not
painting a rosy picture of how our lives will be if we choose to love and
believe in Him if we choose to belong to Him.
We will have TRIBULATION! And sometimes that
tribulation is constant with no end in sight. Jeremiah suffered! We will
suffer! Our joy must be in Christ the OVERCOMER of this WORLD! We can rejoice
because this WORLD Is NOT where we will live in perfect peace and harmony
without any tribulation. We know we are to suffer here! Our hope is in the good
news of the gospel- the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN with our SAVIOR!
Our hope for a tribulation free existence is
not a hope for a tribulation free life here and now, but for the future where
we are storing our treasures of eternal life!
Is your life filled with tribulation? Constant
tribulation? Do NOT think for one moment that God has abandoned you as some
would have you believe so you turn your back on God. God's promise of eternal
life will never fail no matter what we are called to go through here and now.
This is all TEMPORARY to ETERNITY!
God keep the truth of Your love ever before us!
Ever in our hearts! Keep us from evil, from despairing, from forgetting where
our joy and hope is in heaven, in YOU.
All in the love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ, now and forever!!!!!!!
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