[524 words]
One of my favorite Bible prophets is Jeremiah. He was faithful to God in a time that being so meant persecution and punishment. It was not only foreign kings hating Jeremiah, but, so did his own people. He was imprisoned in a mucky, miry pit for being true to his true King. It is Jeremiah who pens an entire lament over the condition of God’s people.
“Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!” (Jeremiah 9:1).
He saw the departure from God in the way his brethren were treating each other.
“Let everyone beware of his neighbor, and put no trust in any brother, for every brother is a deceiver, and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer. Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity” (Jeremiah 9:4–5).
In recent days we have seen these very verses come to life. A few weeks back it was one side speaking against the conditions of the world and now it seems the worm has turned and the shoe is on the other foot. Either side you’re on brings with it sorrow, hurt, confusion and perhaps violence and corruption.
Many are crying out that this must be the end of days. I am pretty certain that “of that day and hour knows no man” (Mark 13:32; Matthew 24:36). We are living in dark days where the devil has free course. But, that has been true for over 2,000 years.
The devil has done great damage to our country. He has swayed the minds of many to depart from Bible principles to cleave to a way that seems right but leads to death (Proverbs 16:25). We abandoned God’s way over the past few generations to the point that speaking His name in prayer is ridiculed, avoided and deemed unlawful. We have left Him out of our families and even denied His definition of what constitutes a family. We have embraced so many sinful ideals and practices that it seems there can be no hope for our country.
This must have been Jeremiah’s lament as he saw his country go down the same road. However, Jeremiah had knowledge that you and I need to remember today!
Hope for God’s people does not rest in the kingdom of men. It does not abide in any political party or any one nation. His power and might are not dimmed by the failures of people. Here are some words that should lift your head and heart as we press on to the high calling of Jesus Christ.
“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22–23).
If Jeremiah could utter these words having been through all he did for the cause of God, certainly, we can find hope to continue being God’s chosen people in this world (1 Peter 2:9).
Joe D. Chase
North Loop church of Christ
Gladewater, TX