Friday, August 16

Jeremiah 15:15-16
O Lord, you know; remember me and visit me, and bring down retribution for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance do not take me away; know that on your account I suffer insult. 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.
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Rather high on my list of "Jobs I Don't Envy" is Old Testament prophet. They were called to an extremely thankless job that often did not bear any fruit - if any - during their lifetime. They were given stern messages from God to deliver to the people, and we all know what we do to the messenger. Jeremiah's prayer life was riddled with his own sense of inadequacy and failure, paranoia and not a little whining. The power of his witness for us is in the fact that he always trusted in the one who listened to his whining relentlessly. The power of God's grace is seen in that God never gave up on his whiney prophet or the people to whom he sent him. 
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Lord God, you listen to your whiney people and bless us anyway. Thank you! Amen.