This month of June I've been so consumed with studying and reading the whole book of Jeremiah and I am so astounded by how merciful our God is. The main trait of God that just pops out in this book is that God hates sin and injustices.
“Again and again I sent my servants, the prophets, to plead with them, ‘Don’t do these horrible things that I hate so much.’ But my people would not listen or turn back from their wicked ways. They kept on burning incense to these gods. ~ Jeremiah 44:4-6 NLT
Numerous times in the book of Jeremiah we see God sending Jeremiah to instruct the people of Judah to turn from evil and instead do good. God is merciful, even though the people of Judah were committing all these horrific deeds (such as sacrificing of children to gods) he still wanted them to return to him and turn from their ways.
The 3 Lessons from the book of Jeremiah can be summed up with these bible verses:
1. Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? ~ Romans 8:35 NLT
2. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. ~ Isaiah 43:2 NLT
3. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ~John 16:33 NIV
The common message in these three scriptures is that in this world we will face challenges! It doesn't mean now that we are saved, we can no longer face trials. In this world we will have challenges, but we can be at peace because God is with us. Prophet Jeremiah went through many trials, he was arrested, beaten, falsely accused and hated all because of his association with the Master, God.
"If God is good and loving, why did he allow XYZ to happen to me?", "Why do good people suffer?" two questions I've come across so many times on the internet and in my own personal life. Jeremiah was a Prophet, he did nothing wrong except tell the people the truth concerning future events that would happen if they continued doing evil and how they can avoid those events. He was persecuted for warning people. Did that mean God stopped loving him? Did the trouble mean God didn't care about him? NO. Did the trials mean God didn't send him? NO.
Even when Prophet Jeremiah was in prison, God still spoke to him and gave him messages. A perfect picture of "when you go through deep waters, I'll be with you", God didn't stop communicating with him because he was in prison. God still spoke with him. How many of us would literally fall apart if God was to stop taking to us every time we go through the deep waters of life?
People that God loved and sent went through challenging times, including Jesus...
Jesus was hated, accused of crimes he didn't commit yet God's Spirit still lived in him. He was still God's beloved Son. David the Psalmist was hunted down like a thief by Saul, yet those troubles didn't change the fact that God loved him. David at some point was betrayed by his own son, Absalom. Daniel who was devoted to prayer was arrested and taken to the den of lions. Paul wrote some of the letters to the churches while in prison. John the Baptist who was sent by God was killed in a very cruel manner (and many others in the bible). Yet those trials didn't mean God no longer loved them.
In this world we will face challenges, I mean there are billions of people in the world, all with unique personalities and backgrounds obviously there is bound to be friction every now and then. Some people hate truth, some people hate lies, put the two together and disagreements might occur resulting in wars and all sorts of detrimental situations. But Jesus did tell us that, in this world we will face trials, but we should be hopeful, not hopeless and suicidal every time challenges come our way.
God is still with you, and he still loves you and remember there's a season for everything under the earth, our troubles are not permanent (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
