The Fire of Jeremiah

July 2 (Jeremiah 20:9)

If I say, “I will not mention him,

     or speak any more in his name,”

there is in my heart as it were a burning fire

     shut up in my bones,

and I am weary with holding it in,

     and I cannot.  (ESV)

Your relationship with God is personal, but it must not be private.  People will tell you that it is fine for you to believe whatever you like in private, but your beliefs must not make their way into the workplace or the public square.  This, however, is impossible to achieve.  If you believe that you must not talk about Jesus in public and therefore do not, you have just brought that belief into your public life.  If you know that you must talk about Him openly and do, then that is the belief that guides you.

Jeremiah spoke much that was unpopular with the people of his day.  They rejected his message and rejected him, even putting him in prison.  Yet Jeremiah says that if he decides enough is enough and will not speak of God further, there is a fire in his heart and in his bones that will not let him remain quiet. 

If you are a follower of Christ, you have no choice but to share His good news with others, nor should you want to do otherwise.  If you truly believe that His love and sacrifice have resulted in your eternal life with God, if you truly believe that the Holy Spirit within you guides and leads you, why would you even want to keep that to yourself?  The very opposite of being rude and insulting, it would be selfish and monstrous not to share what you know to be true with everyone you meet.

Lord, kindle in me the fire of Jeremiah.  I am hesitant sometimes to talk about You with others for fear of offending someone.  May I be led more by Your love than I am by fear.  May the fire Jeremiah felt blaze in my heart and in my bones so that I have no choice but to share Your good news with everyone in my life.  In the name of Jesus, Who was not ashamed to die in my place, amen.

Copyright © 2017 by Steven R. Perkins