22 July | EVERYONE
“‘And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh,’ says the Lord. ‘But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.’” Jeremiah 45: 5
Jeremiah said the words of this text to his secretary and scribe Baruch. They both worked and suffered together in ministry. On one occasion, Baruch felt sad and cried because of the dangers to his own life. The king had ordered him to be arrested and killed (see Jeremiah 36:26). In his grief, Baruch said, “Woe is me now! For the Lord has added grief to my sorrow. I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest” (45:3).
Baruch's words make sense when we think about the circumstances surrounding him. The world was collapsing upon him; and although he had been protected until that moment, the threat of death hung over his head. There was no light at the end of the tunnel and the future looked darker than ever.
Do you feel this way for some reason? Do you think your world is falling apart and that God has forgotten about you? If so, and you have cried out to the Lord, reflect on the divine response to Baruch: “Behold, what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land. And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them” (45:4-5).
As long as we live in this world, we will suffer the effects of sin. Evil exists, and the children of God are not free from evil. “On all flesh,” God said to Baruch. Part of his pain was not having achieved his personal ambitions. Like any human being, he had dreamed of reaching the top; and at the end of his days, he found himself in the valley of pain. If he had chosen another path, he would perhaps be at the heights of human recognition. So, he felt like a failure. He was unaware that, in the kingdom of God, the seemingly defeated are the true winners.
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Do not strive to be the first or "the best " Follow God at all times and remember that Jesus said that “the last will be first, and the first will be last” (Matthew 20:16, NIV).