Oh generation...

Jeremiah. A book of calamity, disaster, great sorrow and distress. A book of judgement. A rebellious, wicked nation that "had it all" and a just, perfect God that, though spurned again and again, still yearns for His people. What would it be like to be Jeremiah, a prophet of God, commanded to speak His truth to a perverse, unyielding generation? To put aside fear and believe God's word: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you..." (Jer. 1: 5). Would I have the courage to trust God's promise: "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you...behold, I have put My words in your mouth...and they will fight against you but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you..." (Jer. 1:8-9, 19).

But it was more than just the command to preach and speak for God. The words Jeremiah was commanded to say, were hard words. How did it feel to tell others of their impending doom? To give a message of despair and judgement to your own people? For there is very little hope in Jeremiah's words. There wasn't much hope left for Judah at this time, a treacherous, evil nation full of people who were "walking according to the stubbornness of [their] own evil heart[s]" (Jer. 16:12).

As I read through Jeremiah, feeling his despair and gloom, I am struck by how much this nation reminds me of my own generation, of the people who live in our world today.

"They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water" - Jer. 2:13

We have indeed turned to our own ways. We have relied on our own strength, built our own "cisterns" so to speak: profitable careers, life insurance, social status. Material things which can profit us nothing. They offer only a superficial safety while we turn our backs on the One who can truly save us. And we don't even see it. This generation is blind to the truth of their situation. Everyone feels assured in their own strength.

"Yet you said, 'I am innocent; surely His anger is turned away from me.'" (Jer. 2:35)

People don't see their sin. They don't believe in a just God who must mete out judgement. They believe only in a loving God of forgiveness, if they believe in one at all. And God is loving, more than that, God is love! But I think we do not truly understand love, and for sure, we don't comprehend true justice and even more, we cannot fathom how justice and love and mercy can all coexist in perfection in God. And so we try to clean ourselves up as best we can and hope it is good enough.

"'Although you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your iniquity is before me,' declares the Lord God" (Jer. 2:22)

But it's not. Yet there is still hope. For God, in His justice, is also merciful and welcomes us to return. If Israel was given this hope, surely we have it too. In Christ, we can be made new and nothing is too big for Him to forgive.

 "Return, faithless Israel...I will not look upon you in anger. For I am gracious...I will not be angry forever...Return, O faithless sons, I will heal your faithlessness..." (Jer. 3:12, 22)

God can heal it. And just as Israel was surely judged, so was she brought back. God did restore His people and He can restore us as well.

"Oh generation, heed the Word of the Lord..." (Jer. 2:31)