THE PROPHET JEREMIAH

Prophets throughout the Old Testament hold kings accountable to the covenant with God—to be God’s people (worship only God) and love one another (follow the rest of the 10 commandments, care for the widow and orphan and poor). Some kings did good. Most kings did not. In Jeremiah 36 the prophet Jeremiah gives King Jehoiakim one last chance. Verse 3 says “It may be that when the house of Judah hears of all the disasters that I intend to do to them, all of them may turn from their evil ways, so that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.” 

The Babylonians have started taking over parts of Judah but Jerusalem has not yet fallen. God gives another second chance. And in Jeremiah 36:23 King Jehoiakim tears that second chance up and burns it in the fire. Eventually Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians… if only they had listened to Jeremiah’s warning.  

How often do we not pay attention to warnings? When the fuel light comes on in your car do you get fuel right away or push it another 30 miles? When the check engine light comes on how long do you wait before calling a mechanic? Perhaps you’ve found yourself sitting alongside the interstate with a broken down car wishing you had heeded the warning.  

We live during a time when warnings are all around us… especially from health experts. They aren’t prophets but they certainly are heroic. The coronavirus continues to blaze around us (and in us for many). The warnings have been consistent for at least seven months and yet some refuse to pay attention—at least not until it affects them directly.  

I’m not a health expert. I am a pastor who cares deeply about you and the warnings around us. Prophets give warnings and sometimes people pay attention. But eventually they go back to their old habits until things get worse again. Remember how careful we were at the beginning of this pandemic? Maybe you even scrubbed down your groceries and cancelled all your plans. But by now we’re tired of the ‘rona; yet our neighbor’s lives are depending on us, especially our neighbors in the higher risk categories. We can do this. We’ve had plenty of warnings. Keep wearing a mask when in public--don’t gather in large groups--stay six feet from others. In all things stay fervent in prayer.  

No more warnings. Just conscious and faith-filled actions to show love and care for ourselves and our neighbors.

In Christ,

PB