“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to you,
Baruch: You have said, ‘I am overwhelmed with trouble! Haven’t I had
enough pain already? And now the Lord has added more! I am worn out
from sighing and can find no rest.’ (Jeremiah 45:2-3
NLT)
Baruch
was the young scribe that wrote and read to the people Jeremiah’s
prophecies. Like Jeremiah, he got a lot
of persecution for the prophet’s words. The Lord responded to the scribe’s pain
with truth and loving kindness. Baruch
found out there is always a cost in following God.
Young
disciples often become discouraged when they find out that serving God is not
all fun and games. Discipleship, usually involves God crossing our will with
his. The Lord’s response to Baruch came in the form of correction and
encouragement. “Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it! I will
bring great disaster upon all these people: but I will give you your life as a
reward wherever you go. I, the Lord, have spoken!” (V.5) If we have our
eyes focused on the things of this world, be it fame or fortune, we become
impatient when difficulties arise. We
can develop a spiritualized entitlement mentality. When trouble comes, we lose heart and our
passion wanes. When desire diminishes, we can never fulfill our calling.
Attitude
is a big part of dealing with adversity. It appears that Baruch had come to the
point of blaming God for his predicament (“And now the Lord has added more!
V.3). Our response when God crosses our will with his determines when
discipleship starts and ends.
Discipleship has a cost but also a prize. “I will give you your life as
a reward wherever you go” (v.5).
Image used with permission by Microsoft.
Ken
Barnes the author of “The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places” YWAM Publishing
Email: kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website: https://sites.google.com/site/kenbarnesbooksite/
Email: kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website: https://sites.google.com/site/kenbarnesbooksite/
Podcasts: http://kensblogpodcast.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment