S)" 27 'You shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you; and you shall call to them, but they will not answer you.' "
Jeremiah 7:27 (NASB)
O) This is a tough call. First, Jeremiah is given a daunting task - prophesy destruction to a king, when everyone else is telling him he'll be fine. Second, he's then told that it won't even work. So, what jumped out at me first in this verse, was that God would tell him ahead of time that he'll fail to turn the king and people. That seemed unusual to me. It would seem like a rare thing for God to tell some one that they'll fail, and have them still obey. So, with that in mind I concluded that He knew Jeremiah's heart, and knew that he would follow through, despite his foregone ineffectiveness.
The second thing that came to me, through this verse, is that God would even call some one to do something, fully knowing that they will fail to accomplish the goal, despite their obedience! That's kind of a huge thing to think about. How many churches close the doors with a pastor questioning whether or not he was called? How many Christians give up on family, because it seems that they just can't break through to them? How many books are half written, because the author seems to face setback after setback, and they question if it's their calling? And yet here, God knows full well that it's a doomed mission, but He sends Jeremiah anyway.
Then last, I have to wonder why God wouldn't tell everyone, who's on a divine lost cause, that they will not succeed? I mean, it seems like there could be a lot of grief saved, if only He'd warn some people. But, I know that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways (Isa. 55:8), so I always have to believe that He knows what He's doing and I can't always comprehend it. I simply continue to believe that He is a good and just King of kings... So, I think it comes down to 2 reasons. 1) He knows the truth as to whether or not telling us will cause our hearts to falter and we'll give up before we start. 2) He knows that our understanding of failure is not His understanding of failure.
A) I do not believe God does anything without cause. He is also a just ruler, and He is also a compassionate God. Therefore, He sent Jeremiah to warn His people. While He knew Jeremiah would fail, He also knew that He must give the people a chance, even if He also knew they wouldn't take that chance. However, seeds were sewn for His remnant to return... So, with my own calling and whatever God asks me to do, great and small, I trust that He knows better than me. I also need to break my mindset and realize that success and failure to Him are not as they appear to me. I need to continually put myself before Him, and continually ask Him to direct me, so that if it's time for me to move on from an effort, I know to do so, but if I must persevere, despite all perception, I will have faith to do so. SPOILER: Jeremiah also had some help, however sparse, to help confirm his actions in the coming chapters. I also need to find men of God that I can trust, to help correct me or confirm what I'm hearing from God.
P) Father, I know that I will not always understand Your commands, but I am choosing now to be faithful and obedient. Holy Spirit, strengthen my resolve, and direct my heart, so that I am able to continue on with my calling, even when the individual effort seems to be futile. Help me to remain in Your word, Jesus, and continue to pray, and to listen, so that I am able to discern Your will for my personal walk, my marriage, my family, and any other ministries You give me, Lord. If I'm ineffective in one or more areas, let me pray earnestly to find Your will and trust Your command more than my motives. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
The second thing that came to me, through this verse, is that God would even call some one to do something, fully knowing that they will fail to accomplish the goal, despite their obedience! That's kind of a huge thing to think about. How many churches close the doors with a pastor questioning whether or not he was called? How many Christians give up on family, because it seems that they just can't break through to them? How many books are half written, because the author seems to face setback after setback, and they question if it's their calling? And yet here, God knows full well that it's a doomed mission, but He sends Jeremiah anyway.
Then last, I have to wonder why God wouldn't tell everyone, who's on a divine lost cause, that they will not succeed? I mean, it seems like there could be a lot of grief saved, if only He'd warn some people. But, I know that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways (Isa. 55:8), so I always have to believe that He knows what He's doing and I can't always comprehend it. I simply continue to believe that He is a good and just King of kings... So, I think it comes down to 2 reasons. 1) He knows the truth as to whether or not telling us will cause our hearts to falter and we'll give up before we start. 2) He knows that our understanding of failure is not His understanding of failure.
A) I do not believe God does anything without cause. He is also a just ruler, and He is also a compassionate God. Therefore, He sent Jeremiah to warn His people. While He knew Jeremiah would fail, He also knew that He must give the people a chance, even if He also knew they wouldn't take that chance. However, seeds were sewn for His remnant to return... So, with my own calling and whatever God asks me to do, great and small, I trust that He knows better than me. I also need to break my mindset and realize that success and failure to Him are not as they appear to me. I need to continually put myself before Him, and continually ask Him to direct me, so that if it's time for me to move on from an effort, I know to do so, but if I must persevere, despite all perception, I will have faith to do so. SPOILER: Jeremiah also had some help, however sparse, to help confirm his actions in the coming chapters. I also need to find men of God that I can trust, to help correct me or confirm what I'm hearing from God.
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