July 4

Even when the righteous are men beloved of God like Noah and Daniel, sometimes God still denies bail for a people under the arrest of His judgment. Jeremiah, for instance, boldly testified against the sins of the times and interceded in earnest prayer for the people; but he could not convert them by preaching or divert God's wrath by praying. Finally the Jews asked him not to prophesy against them any more and God commanded him to stop praying for the nation.

Judgment hovered like an eagle closing in on her prey. And the only thing that eased Jeremiah's heart, swollen with grief for Israel's sins, was his memory of sincerity to God and man: "Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them" (Jeremiah 18:20). It is as if he had said, "Lord, I cannot make this rebellious generation repent of their sins, and I cannot seem to prevail with You to reverse Your decree of punishment; but I have been faithful in my place both to You and to them."

On the contrary, horror and a terrified spirit is the portion of hypocrites in seasons of judgments. Pashur, for example, was a bitter enemy of Jeremiah and of the prophet's message from God. He put in long efforts to soothe the king with vain hope of golden days just ahead. And all this against the Word of the Lord at the mouth of Jeremiah! When the storm began to fall in torrents of judgment, Jeremiah tore away all such imaginary shelter by telling Pashur he would carry a personal brand of God's anger, besides sharing in the common calamity of the people (Jeremiah 20).

Sincerity strengthens the Christian deprived of the chance to serve God. If a servant of Christ could choose any affliction, he would select everything else before he would endure the pain of being a broken instrument, unserviceable to God. A devoted servant values his life by the opportunities he has to glorify God.

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