JEREMIAH Perseverance in Suffering
IMAGINE WALKING A FEW MILES IN JEREMIAH’S SHOES. He was told about the impending doom of his country, which he’d have to live through. God asked him to speak and write messages that few people would listen to or obey. His prophetic days began under the care of a good king, but later an evil king took the throne, who persecuted him day and night. He was never allowed to marry and was told that his life would be filled with disaster, danger, defeat, and a national catastrophe.
No one would choose such a life.
Saints are sinners who keep on going
Jeremiah responded with perseverance and great courage. He was tough as nails, like a Special Forces soldier sent on God’s most arduous missions. As one of the greatest Hebrew prophets, he mourned the loss of Josiah, Judah’s last good king. He preached the great Temple discourse (Jer 7–10) and watched Jerusalem fall as the Hebrews were taken captive by Babylon. But he never ceased to plead for the promise of divine grace for sinners (31:31-34; see also Heb 8:7-13). The book which bears his name is a testimony to Jeremiah’s relentless pursuit of truth. And although he did not live to see their fulfillment, Jeremiah’s prophecies came true in the life of Jesus (Matt 2:17-18). His testimony rang true through decades of struggles and its truth endures beyond his lifetime.
How do we respond when given bad news, maybe even the worst life-changing news ever? What if our suffering were to go on for years or decades and include our precious families, friends, and communities? Like Jeremiah and the prophets of old, we can determine to persevere en route to a “country” we cannot see or even imagine, but upon which we can depend with the full assurance of God’s Word (Heb 11:13-16). The path is well-traveled and the journey worth taking, so lace up those shoes and keep walking!