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Jeremiah 12 (ESV)
1 Righteous are you, O Lord,
when I complain to you;
yet I would plead my case before you.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why do all who are treacherous thrive?
2 You plant them, and they take root;
they grow and produce fruit;
you are near in their mouth
and far from their heart.
3 But you, O Lord, know me;
you see me, and test my heart toward you.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
and set them apart for the day of slaughter.
4 How long will the land mourn
and the grass of every field wither?
For the evil of those who dwell in it
the beasts and the birds are swept away,
because they said, “He will not see our latter end.”
REFLECTION:
Many people, including prophets and psalmists in the Old Testament (such as the author of Psalm 73) have asked this question: “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” Although Jeremiah knew that God would eventually demonstrate His justice, he was still full of indignation and envy when he saw the wicked gain power. He hoped that the day when God shows justice will come soon. Although Jeremiah loved God and obeyed His will, he was often persecuted. He prayed for God to relieve his suffering, but God’s response was: “If you feel unbearable now, how can you bear it when the real difficulties arise?” When we are bullied we will naturally want to seek justice. However, we must also bear in mind that if God really punishes us immediately for everything we do, then our own consequences are also worrying. Not all God’s responses to prayer are readily acceptable to us. All believers who have experienced suffering and injustice understand this deeply. Even if the situation worsens, God’s response may not bring immediate improvement, but we still have to be completely committed to Him and firmly believe that everything that God allows to happen is for our benefit. We should reflect on ourselves and see if we have offended God, and with a humble and repentant heart, we continue marching forward on a narrow, rugged road without applause or cheers.
PRAYER:
Come to God humbly, pray to God for the difficulties you are facing now. Don’t ask God to solve the problem for you right away, but ask God to let you experience His guidance and training for you in the difficult situation. If your difficulties are so great that you feel unbearable, ask God to comfort you, so that you understand that all this happens with God’s good intentions, even if you don’t understand at the moment, you are still willing to trust God, and walk with God.
HYMN:
In Control – youtu.be/YVS6hTRgOOI
