Jeremiah 4:19-21
“I’m doubled up with cramps in my belly— a poker burns in my gut. My insides are tearing me up, never a moment’s peace. The ram’s horn trumpet blast rings in my ears, the signal for all-out war. Disaster hard on the heels of disaster, the whole country in ruins! In one stroke my home is destroyed, the walls flattened in the blink of an eye. How long do I have to look at the warning flares, listen to the siren of danger?”
“My heart, my heart—I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still. For I have heard the blast of enemy trumpets and the roar of their battle cries. Waves of destruction roll over the land, until it lies in complete desolation. Suddenly my tents are destroyed; in a moment my shelters are crushed. How long must I see the battle flags and hear the trumpets of war?”
Here we see how costly being God’s prophet was to Jeremiah. Likewise, following God’s path can be this painful for us. I’ve been through such times and begged for deliverance. It did not come. Instead, I learned precious things. I discovered God walking alongside me. The focus changed from my pain to his presence, and it eclipsed the trial. I also learned how important it was for Jesus to experience pain and suffering. He wasn’t just beside me; he carried my pain just as he carried his cross. What a savior!
Lord, thank you for coming to show me, graphically, how much you love me. Thank you for carrying not just my pain but me as well. The world needs your goodness. Grace me to share it with them that other may savor it too.