Learning to Listen #21

Jeremiah the Prophet heard from God a lot of things he did not want to hear, because then he had to give God's message of judgment to a people who would not listen.  Yet, Jeremiah obediently did what God instructed, and in effect speaks for all parties: God, His people, and himself. In Jeremiah 15 he says:

 15 O Lord, you know;
    remember me and visit me,
    and take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
In your forbearance take me not away;
    know that for your sake I bear reproach.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them,
    and your words became to me a joy
    and the delight of my heart,
for I am called by your name,
    O Lord, God of hosts.
17 I did not sit in the company of revelers,
    nor did I rejoice;
I sat alone, because your hand was upon me,
    for you had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unceasing,
    my wound incurable,
    refusing to be healed?
Will you be to me like a deceitful brook,
    like waters that fail?
19 Therefore thus says the Lord:
“If you return, I will restore you,
    and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,
    you shall be as my mouth.
They shall turn to you,
    but you shall not turn to them.

Jeremiah sounds a lot like David here, crying out to God for deliverance from his people's persecutors, and mentioning how he himself was often all alone in seeking to please God. The people might be suffering, but he was doubly doing so. Notice again what he says in verse 16:

16 Your words were found, and I ate them,
    and your words became to me a joy
    and the delight of my heart,
for I am called by your name,
    O Lord, God of hosts.

God's words. What do we do with them? We read them; we listen to them; we even need to eat them. We talk about "eating our words", when we have to take back something we said because we were wrong; to eat God's Words means we come to realize how right He is, how Good He is, and how much He really does love us and want what is best for us. Learning to listen to Him makes all the difference in how we respond, even when we find ourselves in a situation that is unpleasant, uncomfortable, and even unfair. We remember that we are still His, in the right place, at the right time, and need to keep on doing the right thing.