21 July | EVERYONE
«Therefore the princes were angry with Jeremiah, and they struck him and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe. For they had made that the prison.» Jeremiah 37:15
Jeremiah was a man with a tender, affectionate, and shy personality. However, he had to face opposition, criticism, and persecution. Despite deeply loving his people, he was faithful to his mission and aroused the wrath of his critics. In the midst of that psychological struggle, he complained: “Lord, you know what is happening to me. Please step in and help me. […] It is for your sake that I am suffering. […] Why then does my suffering continue? Why is my wound so incurable?” (Jeremiah 15:15, 18, NLT)
That was Jeremiah. On another occasion he wanted to pray for the salvation of his people and the Lord forbade him to do so. “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Do not pray for these people anymore. When they fast, I will pay no attention. When they present their burnt offerings and grain offerings to me, I will not accept them. Instead, I will devour them with war, famine, and disease.’” (14:11,12, NLT).
All his life he suffered the ridicule of his people. He would have fled to the desert to live in peace, but he could not. God captivated him. “O Lord, you misled me, and I allowed myself to be misled. You are stronger than I am, and you overpowered me. Now I am mocked every day; everyone laughs at me. When I speak, the words burst out. ‘Violence and destruction!’ I shout. So, these messages from the Lord have made me a household joke. But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!” (20:7-9, NLT).
Jeremiah’s inner sadness cannot be described, the paradox of a life dedicated to a mission that contradicted his way of being. His experience was one of continuous suffering due to the people’s disbelief, skepticism, and sarcasm. But, despite that, he continued his task as a prophet.
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How do you react to mockers? Reflect on Jeremiah’s experience and ask yourself why, in the midst of so much ridicule and persecution, he continued forward. Where did he get his strength? There is no doubt that, despite everything, his heart harbored the peace of the Spirit.