Jeremiah 17

❇️ Judha’s sin is engraved ….. on the tablets of their heart (v1)
❇️ I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve (v10)
❇️ In the light of the above two verses we understand two facts.

▶️ Once a sin is committed it leaves it’s imprint in our heart which is our inner spirit man and thus gets defiled and requires cleansing by the blood of Jesus Christ.
▶️ In order to reward our deeds and conduct the Lord searches our heart and examines our mind

❇️ Sin is transgression of God’s law/word and starts at our motives in our heart and mind and translated into our deeds. Hence God goes to the root of our sins (1Chr.28:9) in order to judge our deeds and reward accordingly.This is because God does not show favouritism (Rom.2:11) by not looking at our deeds only on the day of judgement since many of our good deeds are done with wrong motives.
❇️ St.Paul in Rom.2:9-10 says, there will be trouble and distress for those who do evil and glory, honour and peace for those who do good on the day of judgement. Our deeds can only be as good or bad as our motives.
❇️ We need to be blameless in all areas of our life which include motives, thoughts, words and actions since our Lord looks at us as a whole and not in parts.
❇️ Let us do a self check to know whether we are good as a whole being or good in parts.
❇️ Insight learnt:
▪️God searches the heart & mind to judge our deeds
▪️Glory, honour and peace to those who do good with good motives
▪️Deeds can only be as good or bad as our motives
▪️We need to be good wholly and not partly

Dr. E.Christadoss
Vellore 🙏🏽

He Prevails

(Jeremiah 20)
Jeremiah shows his human side as all prophets greatly used by the Lord do. He has been completely dedicated and obedient to the Lord till now.

He went everywhere he was asked to go, preached all he was told to preach.. He is a prophet who represents God to the people, a priest who represents people to the Lord, a pastor who faithfully teaches the Word, and an evangelist stirring up souls for the Lord.

His heart is for his own people. One of compassion and immense love.

In return all he gets from them is disdain, mockery, scorn. They refuse to believe his words and smite him with their tongues.
The lowest point is when Pashur, the chief governor of the house of the Lord smites him physically and has him imprisoned.
Jeremiah speaks all that the Lord gives him against Pashur, but later goes into self pity and depression.

It is easier to take in verbal assaults of his people than a thrashing by the religious ruler.
(How true with us too!)

In this state he must make an important choice. Either the Word of the Lord will prevail over him, or the word of the people would prevail over him. They have denied all he ever said. Till date.

For a brief moment he sways like a pendulum from one extreme to the other.
He complains to God. He doubts His love.
He curses the day of his birth. For he has seen only labour and sorrow till date.

But Jeremiah prevails!
He simply can’t keep silent. God’s words are fire in his bones. He must speak. He overcomes self pity and depression.

By ” ..singing and praising the Lord” (Jer 20:13) and placing absolute confidence in his Lord. “He is with him like a mighty terrible one” ..
Therefore his opponents will never prevail over him.

Jeremiah travails.
He prevails.
For he has the Word, the Fire inside him.

We can too.
For we have the Word.

Suja Jacob
Mumbai