- Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard. 13 Now therefore mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you. Jeremiah 26:12-13 – Likely what we are reading in this chapter is the response Jeremiah received from his message he gave back in chapter 7. Boldly he told all the words the Lord gave him in the presence of all at the temple, but we see the “all” who heard him weren’t fond of the words they were hearing. In fact they were infuriated to the point of wanting to execute Jeremiah for his words. The prophet is seized and brought before the leaders of the people to stand trial. Would Jeremiah recant his words to save himself from death? Not at all, even with the possible end of this trial being his execution his message remained the same, preaching the whole truth of the Lord. We too may have the boldness to speak about Jesus on safe platforms like behind the screen of social media or surrounded by other believers, but what if the platform we are called to speak on isn’t so safe? What if we were called to speak about Jesus in a space where the end result could be our death if we spoke the fullness of God’s word? While we may be bold enough to post the Bible verse on our timeline, are we bold enough to speak the word of God in the spaces where consequences are great? My hope is you never have to be in a position to discover that answer, but I pray your answer would be yes you would still boldly proclaim. God is calling us to preach His whole word when the response is acceptance, but also when it’s rejection. Choose today to be bold enough to keep sharing despite the response you may get. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3256
- But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. Jeremiah 26:14 – When we are in God’s hand, what can man really do to us? Here we have Jeremiah telling those who want to put him to death he is in their hands, yet at the same time having the faith to know God has a tighter grip on him than any hands laid on him that day. John 10:29 says we are in God’s hands and no one can take us from His hands. We must grow in our confidence that God has us as we face the struggles that attach themselves to a life faithfully following Jesus. Sure there will be moments like what Jeremiah faced where all seems lost, but even then God demonstrated how His hands were more powerful than anyone else’s. Trust you’re in God’s hand if you’ve placed your life wholly into those hands. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 945
- The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die!” Jeremiah 26:7-8 – Some will hear from you the fullness of what God is saying, but they still won’t listen and follow Jesus. Jeremiah spoke all the words the Lord said and once done the crowed sought to kill him. Hopefully that ending won’t be your story, but seek to not let a lack of response discourage you. Maybe you share the gospel in front of a group and no one responds, maybe you show a friend the help Jesus could give them but they don’t accept it, or maybe you have a loved one continue to choose sin even after you shared with them the freedom Jesus can bring them. Know their lack of response isn’t a reflection of your faithfulness. If you’re stepping up and talking about Jesus, telling others how they can know Him, and showing the help He can give others, know then you are doing exactly what God has called you to do. Some just won’t accept what you have to say and that’s not on you. You showed them love, shared with them the message of life, and now they know Jesus is available for them if they were to ever choose to follow Him. Pray God will continuing to bring voices into their story to point them to Him and that their hearts would be softened towards Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2158
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