Reading Jeremiah

Been reading Jeremiah the last week or so...taking my time. I'm not going to rush through it, because I want to soak up what I can as the Spirit leads me into the word. I'm reading the Complete Jewish Bible and the New American Standard Bible.

Jeremiah had a long tenure as a prophet. He started young apparently (1:6). It was during the years leading up to the Babylonian captivity. There is much to take in from this book, of course, which usually seems to be the case with scripture. One of the little nuggets I "starred" in the CJB was a line from 2:30, "They would not recieve correction."

"They" are the Israelites. The "correction" was the word of God through the prophets. The behavior of the Israelites was missing the mark. They turned from God to idolatry. They rejected the One who loved them and provided for them. How silly! How stupid and short-sighted! How easy it is to condemn the Israelites from this distance!

It is a rare person, a rare community of persons that is able to "receive correction." Most of the time we bristle when someone corrects us. Not only did the Israelites bristle when they were being corrected...they killed and persecuted the ones who were bringing God's word of correction. The job of prophet was a dangerous one.

I have known one person through the years who "receives correction" and who also receives instruction well. I have appreciated these qualities in her because I have observed how they have served to help her grow. Many times I wished I had been more that way myself. Her example has helped me become more able to receive correction and instruction...sometimes, anyway. I still have a ways to go. I can see when a person or a community of persons has these qualities it is humility. It takes humility to let God be God and not reject him and his ways. It takes humility to receive correction. It takes humility to receive instruction.

Our loving heavenly Father has much to teach us and we need much correction. We need humility. This can be applied to us individually and to the Church. When we miss the mark...when we, like the Israelites turn to anything or anyone other than God with our love and devotion we need to hear the prophets' reminders that our love and devotion belong to God and to God alone.

The Israelites strayed so far, they ended up in captivity in Babylon. When we stray from God, we end up in places we don't want to be either.

Lord, may we not be silly, stupid, or short-sighted...rejecting the One who loves us and provides for us. May we, in the Church, learn humility so we can take correction and instruction. May there be those in the Church who will, like Jeremiah, receive the role of prophet to proclaim those words of correction and instruction. Lord, there is none like you!!!