Sustain Me
Notes
Transcript
16 Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.
17 I did not sit in the company of revelers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone, because your hand was upon me, for you had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail?
When we think of sustenance, being sustained, what do we think of normally? What food or drink we may enjoy or want? I think it important to look at what might be “good” food. If we think of certain things we like, are they all good for us?
M&M’s, candy bars (nothing like a Zero and an ice cold root beer), cookies, cake, ice cream, all those little hidden enjoyments. But, are they good for us?
Beans, corn bread, steak, macaroni and cheese, fish, chicken, potatoes, the things that fill us. But, are they good for us?
How is it that we decide whether something is “good” for us or not? We normally say it is good for us when it fills us and we don’t get hungry too soon. It provides us with the nutrition we need without excess calories. And most of all, it tastes good.
But what about our everyday life, what is it that sustains us mentally, physically, spiritually? According to Jeremiah, it is the Word of God. Looking at the Living Bible, it describes these verses in this way:
16 Your words are what sustain me; they are food to my hungry soul. They bring joy to my sorrowing heart and delight me. How proud I am to bear your name, O Lord.
17 I have not joined the people in their merry feasts. I sit alone beneath the hand of God. I burst with indignation at their sins. Yet you have failed me in my time of need! You have let them keep right on with all their persecutions. Will they never stop hurting me? Your help is as uncertain as a seasonal mountain brook—sometimes a flood, sometimes as dry as a bone.”
If we truly think about what sustains us, it is God. He has given us the food we need for life through His Word.
Putting these verses into context, the people of Judah have been sinning against God, terrible sins. God had tried to bring them back into line with His calling for them, yet the continued in sin. It brought about divine discipline in the form of a severe drought.
We, too, cannot forget that living in disobedience to God will result in us facing discipline in the same manner.
However, it was not a discipline without a promise, God has told them if they will turn back to Him, rain would come. God simply sought obedience from His people. Truly, God has not changed in His desire today. He simply asks for obedience in following Him, and His Will for our lives. How much different would our lives be if we simply did what God called us to do? Instead, we are like these followers, deciding to do what we want instead of what God wants us to do. Then, we wonder why it seems God doesn’t answer prayers, doesn’t hear us or our needs, even why God doesn’t intervene on our behalf.
These Judeans were in the middle of God’s divine discipline, they were suffering through the drought, but also were under invasion by Babylon. God’s people were crying out over the lack of food and water. The political leaders, the government, were unable to bring them food or water. Even the animals were suffering without food and water. All because of the drought brought on by the sins of the people. A people willing to cry out in distress to the government, but unwilling to cry out the the God that was punishing them.
Isn’t it interesting that we have a group of people, God’s own people, who were unwilling to see the root cause of their despair and chose to continue in disobedience. The POSB states “They were not willing to repent, to turn away from their sins and turn back to Him. They loved their sins and the pleasures and possession of the world too much. They had continued in their sin and wicked lifestyle too long.”
Listen closely again, “They had continued in their sin and wicked lifestyle too long.”
I think that is the key here, they had tolerated sin for so long they didn’t recognize it as sin. As a result, they grew accustomed to doing sinful things with no remorse and God could no longer allow these sins to continue. He wouldn’t even listen to their cries or their fasting because He knew they were not sincere. Could it be God knows the insincerity of our hearts and chooses to not listen to our cries? But Jeremiah was sincere - literally broken at what was going on, and interceded for the people. Jeremiah was weeping day and night for his people. He did not want God to turn His back on His people, and for years Jeremiah prayed for the healing of the people, for them to turn from their wicked ways, repent, and turn back to God. Jeremiah acknowledged that God could send rain, and would when His people repented.
We should never forget, God does discipline us, but even when we sin against Him, He still loves us. After interceding on their behalf, Jeremiah then receives word from the Lord, an answer to his prayers. God first made sure that it was clear He would not tolerate their sin. The predicament they were in was fully theirs to own because of their blatant and willful sin. They were getting what they deserved. Some would die by the sword, others would die from starvation, and others would be taken prisoner and placed in captivity. God knew what this discipline meant, what it would do to His people. Jeremiah responded, knowing he was alone in crying out to God. However, Jeremiah was suffering also, people cursed him because he pointed out their sins. He would not give up or give in on pointing out just how sinful the people were and the people responded the way you would think…they despised him. It was in this time of his life that he acknowledges that, as lonely as it was to follow God, that God still sustained him.
15 O Lord, you know; remember me and visit me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance take me not away; know that for your sake I bear reproach.
Jeremiah knew God already knew his thoughts, and his complaints, but it didn’t keep him from presenting them to the Lord. He desired for God to remember and visit him - Jeremiah had been suffering through the same drought, but had added issues - everyone hated him, so he asked God to take vengeance on his persecutors. However, he also knew that these persecutions were something he would have to endure, and would bear. This goes to again point to us, as Christians, that not everything that happens is because we are all not following God, as we know Jeremiah was - but it still was not easy for him to acknowledge, but he knew it was his burden to carry.
So, Jeremiah turned to the only place he knew to turn, he turned to God and His Word.
Joy and Delight
Joy and Delight
16 Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.
It was the Word of God that nourished Jeremiah through this horrible time of discipline. Jeremiah needed to be sustained…he needed sustenance from the Lord. He recognized it as something that gave him delight! God’s Word transformed him, and the words became his joy and delight of his heart. For the man or woman of God, His Word sustains us. Notice Jeremiah didn’t just snack from the Word, but he says he ate them. He made a meal from the Word of God!
Anyone ever heard of “binge eating”? You know,when we get so hungry we eat everything in sight? We get stressed, we eat. We get bored, we eat. This is no different than bingeing on the Word of God when we have an illness, our finances are low, when we lose something or someone valuable and close to us, we binge read hoping we can get just enough sustenance that we can get by for a while.
Jeremiah didn’t binge eat the Word of God, instead he sat down at the table and enjoyed a regular meal morning, noon, and night - and maybe even some snacks also. Notice why he did so - God’s Words were a joy and delight to his heart, but he also recognized he was called by God. Jeremiah realized he had been given a purpose, and that purpose was to spread the Word to those who would listen. He had been called - specially dedicated - to service for God.
Lonely, but Fulfilled
Lonely, but Fulfilled
17 I did not sit in the company of revelers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone, because your hand was upon me, for you had filled me with indignation.
Jeremiah goes on to speak of the lonely part of service to God. He was set apart, and did not necessarily “fit” in. Therefore, he doesn’t (or can’t) be a part of activities (weddings and parties) with others. Why? Because they can’t understand his joy. He is isolated, because the Word of God has separated him from others. He preaches sin and repentance, which isn’t very popular as you can imagine. Therefore, socially he is excluded.
You see, when we truly seek and find God’s divine Will has planned for us and our lives, then we do not want what is inferior. We won’t tolerate those who live for the things of this world, and as a matter fact it will upset us, but we will desire to spend more time with God and He fulfills us. Doesn’t mean it will not be lonely, and Jeremiah even asks God why He has turned from his faithful servant.
Lord, Why Me?
Lord, Why Me?
18 Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail?
What did Jeremiah do to deserve this type treatment from God? He had not done anything, yet he was still being punished for the sins of others. This causes him to really question God, and ask basically “why me”. God hasn’t come through for him. He had held out for Gods promises and when there is a catastrophe, it seems like there is nothing.
It is almost like, to Jeremiah, God’s promises are like a mirage - it looks like it’s there, but it’s not.
We should be reminded, too, that there will be times in our lives where we feel like God hasn’t kept up with His end of the bargain. We will feel let down, too, like God’s promises never seem to be for us. We may even question God in the same way Jeremiah did, but we should also remember Jeremiah was devoted to God, was sustained by the Word of God, and ultimately was suffering over the sins of others.
God Responds
God Responds
19 Therefore thus says the Lord: “If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them.
20 And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the Lord.
21 I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”
Being sustained by God does not mean we always get what we want, when we want it, and there are times when we will seem to be alone walking down this Christian path. When we follow God, though, He will sustain us - He provides us with what we need, when we need it.
God answers Jeremiah’s concerns. Distrust and unbelief had crept into his heart and was causing him to take his eyes off God. It was disturbing, because Jeremiah, himself, was about to cross the threshold and sin against God - just like those he was crying out for. The LORD told Jeremiah that he must repent before he could be restored and allowed to continue serving the LORD. The prophet must continue preaching the truth, God’s Word, but first he must repent.
Church, how often have we gotten to the place where we have cried out for God to sustain us, yet we still continue in our worldly views, our worldly desires, and God is telling us we must first repent before He will answer our prayers and deliver us, too. We must remain faithful, we can’t lose our focus, we must let God sustain us, and at times we too must repent so that God will restore us.
Be Sustained. Feast upon the Word. Let them, too, become a joy and delight in our heart.