2026 Pentecost Devotions II
Tuesday, August 25
Jeremiah 15:15-21
15 O Lord, you know;
remember me and visit me,
and bring down retribution for me on my persecutors.
In your forbearance do not take me away;
know that on your account I suffer insult.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them,
and your words became to me a joy
and the delight of my heart,
for I am called by your name,
O Lord, God of hosts.
17 I did not sit in the company of merrymakers,
nor did I rejoice;
under the weight of your hand I sat alone,
for you had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unceasing,
my wound incurable,
refusing to be healed?
Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook,
like waters that fail.
19 Therefore thus says the Lord:
If you turn back, I will take you back,
and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious and not what is worthless,
you shall serve as my mouth.
It is they who will turn to you,
not you who will turn to them.
20 And I will make you to this people
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
but they shall not prevail over you,
for I am with you
to save you and deliver you,
says the Lord.
21 I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.
“… It is they who will turn to you, not you who will turn to them. …”
Sometimes it’s hard to hold to your values when it seems the whole world is against you. That was the situation Jeremiah faced during this time. His message to the king and the people of Jerusalem was that the forces of Babylon were greater than the forces of Israel. His message that the kingdom would fall was very unpopular. Yet, he persisted, even in the face of severe opposition.
Yet, as time wore on and people realized that his message was not one of doom and gloom but of hopefulness and restoration, many chose to side with the prophet. As God had promised, even those who opposed Jeremiah eventually came to regard him with respect. He didn’t turn to them, but they turned to him.
While this is not always the case, when we hear the Word of the Lord clearly, and remain faithful to that word, even the face of opposition, we are following in Jeremiah’s footsteps. While our lives may not mirror his exactly, nor may we suffer as he did, we can be assured that, like the prophet, folks will begin to see the light. While they may never see our side, even our effort at being faithful is a witness to the power and grace of God.
Prayer: Lord, you call us to faithfulness in Your will and Your way. Strengthen me when others seek to turn me from following You. Help me to remain steadfast in faith. Amen.