Jeremiah 5:20-31 (NIV)
20 “Announce this to the descendants of Jacob
and proclaim it in Judah:
21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,
who have eyes but do not see,
who have ears but do not hear:
22 Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord.
“Should you not tremble in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,
an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
they may roar, but they cannot cross it.
23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts;
they have turned aside and gone away.
24 They do not say to themselves,
‘Let us fear the Lord our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains in season,
who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’
25 Your wrongdoings have kept these away;
your sins have deprived you of good.
26 “Among my people are the wicked
who lie in wait like men who snare birds
and like those who set traps to catch people.
27 Like cages full of birds,
their houses are full of deceit;
they have become rich and powerful
28 and have grown fat and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit;
they do not seek justice.
They do not promote the case of the fatherless;
they do not defend the just cause of the poor.
29 Should I not punish them for this?”
declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge myself
on such a nation as this?
30 “A horrible and shocking thing
has happened in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy lies,
the priests rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
But what will you do in the end?
Devotion
Jeremiah 5:20-31 opens with judgment against Israel and Judah. It laments a lack of awe and fear shown towards the Lord, criticizing those who are blind and deaf to God, the land, and those in need. When we read this passage from Jeremiah, it is not a great leap to see ourselves in 2023. The “stubborn and rebellious hearts” in verse 23 are achingly familiar. Our hearts are full of gratitude and humility when we recognize Jesus’ love and sacrifice for us. But then an appointment must be kept, a slight is perceived, or we mindlessly scroll on our phone. Our grateful hearts are also self-consumed hearts. Our humble hearts are also angry hearts. Our optimistic hearts are also anxious hearts.
The passage closes with a pointed question: “But what will you do in the end?” What will we do, knowing the ways we fall short and fail? Our journey to the cross, this Lenten season and all seasons, is a circuitous path. In rare and unexpected moments – a song, a fragment of a prayer, a child’s declaration of faith – that journey can seem straight and sure. Other times, we are tangled in our own fears, desires, and inertia. What will we do, as we journey to the cross with “stubborn and rebellious hearts”? We will do the only thing we can: continue with the hearts we have, for God’s grace is at work in us.
Prayer
God, You are at work in our missteps, resentments, and rebelliousness. With our ill bodies, ill minds, and ill deeds, You embrace us. God, we need Your grace, and the good news is You pour it upon us. Amen.
Emily Foster