2026 Pentecost Devotions I
Monday, June 15
Jeremiah 20:7-13
7 O Lord, you have enticed me,
and I was enticed;
you have overpowered me,
and you have prevailed.
I have become a laughingstock all day long;
everyone mocks me.
8 For whenever I speak, I must cry out;
I must shout, “Violence and destruction!”
For the word of the Lord has become for me
a reproach and derision all day long.
9 If I say, “I will not mention him
or speak any more in his name,”
then within me there is something like a burning fire
shut up in my bones;
I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot.
10 For I hear many whispering:
“Terror is all around!
Denounce him! Let us denounce him!”
All my close friends
are watching for me to stumble.
“Perhaps he can be enticed,
and we can prevail against him
and take our revenge on him.”
11 But the Lord is with me like a terrifying warrior;
therefore my persecutors will stumble,
and they will not prevail.
They will be greatly shamed,
for they will not succeed.
Their eternal dishonor
will never be forgotten.
12 O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous;
you see the heart and the mind;
let me see your retribution upon them,
for to you I have committed my cause.
13 Sing to the Lord;
praise the Lord!
For he has delivered the life of the needy
from the hands of evildoers.
“… 8 For whenever I speak, I must cry out; I must shout, “Violence and destruction!”
For the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long.
9 If I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,”
then within me there is something like a burning fire shut up in my bones;
I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. …”
This passage from Jeremiah speaks of the prophet’s bane. Called by the Lord to utter words that the people do not want to hear creates animosity from those around him, including his friends and family. Yet, if he remains silent, trying not to speak, he is torn from within. In many ways, the life of the prophet, especially Jeremiah, is unfair.
Sometimes, speaking the Word of the Lord is challenging. Often, it is because it goes against the grain of society. Proclaiming justice to those who are unjust, calling forth compassion from those who are cruel, telling the truth to those who speak lies, and manifesting love in the midst of those who fulminate hate are often countercultural. There is always a negative backlash.
Yet, as those claimed and called by God to live according to the Word, we must be true to God’s intent. That means sometimes we must speak those words that are hard to hear, always remembering to do so with love, compassion, and faithfulness. Like Jeremiah, we might find ourselves on the “outs” with others. However, also like Jeremiah, to do anything else is to deny the Word that is burning within us.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the prophet Jeremiah who speaks Your Word even in the face of adversity. May Your Word so burn within me that I boldly, with love and mercy, share Your message with others. Amen.