Jeremiah 20:10-13
“O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous, you see the heart and the mind; let me see your retribution upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.” vs. 12
There is much to admire in the prophet Jeremiah. He was a man of conviction and courage, and dared to speak the truth to power–even when it made enemies of his friends. Many of us can even resonate with his desire to see the Lord’s retribution on those who opposed him. It’s exactly the way we feel when someone does us wrong. It’s a desire for justice on a primitive level, the justice we see in popular movies when evil is vanquished and the good are rewarded. We love to see the bad guy die in a hail of bullets while the righteous live happily ever after. And when we see those sentiments in the bible we can feel justified in our thirst for revenge. There’s only one problem! Jeremiah was not the Word of God–Jesus was! Remember what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you?” And as he hung on the cross looking down at his accusers Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.” It’s good to have Jeremiah’s prayer in our scriptures. It reminds us of our passions and our desire for revenge. Jesus’ prayer is more difficult…but ultimately it is the way of salvation!
Thought for the Day: Why do we love to see bad people get punished?
0 Comments