PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Jeremiah 5-6
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.” (Jeremiah 6:14)
According to Jeremiah, the religious leaders are a part of the problem (6:13).
Instead of pointing the people to “the good way” (6:16), they say everything is fine.
Is there a way that religious leaders today (including me) are part of the problem?
Are we humbly, honestly diagnosing the real wound of the church?
Traditionalists say the church is becoming too worldly for leaving traditional ways.
Progressives say the church is becoming too worldly for being stuck in traditional ways.
Each is convinced that their perspective is OK, the other side is the problem.
I sense the Lord saying that our wound is more serious than we realize.
I also sense the Lord calling us back to him, not to our own perspectives.
“Ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” (6:16)
Jesus calls us to come to him – the good way – to find this rest (Matthew 11:28-30).
Dressing our wounds will not help, we need to admit our wounds and weaknesses.
Religious leaders need to lead the way by repenting and refocusing on Jesus.
We can’t take the people where we ourselves will not go – on our knees before Jesus.
“There is no peace” (6:14) in the church right now; we need to humbly diagnose why.
PRAYER
Lord, help me as a religious leader to show the way of honesty, humility and surrender to you and your good way. Expose my real wound so that I can receive your real healing.
“They do not promote the case of the fatherless; they do not defend the just cause of the poor…The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way…Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush.” Oh be careful – what I hear, say, and do. Disobedience – neglect of following God’s way and listening to my own authority – neglecting the homeless and the poor – are at my door too. Lord, it is a shame – to see the homeless begging yet caught up in the misery of addiction. Lead us to the ways that we can help them too- as a community, as a church and as individuals.
Each day I need to hear the voice of the Lord my God saying, ‘This is the way. Walk in it.’ The Lord is with His people who walk in His SonShine. But all too often we do not listen to His voice. I need open eyes and open ears. Not my way Lord, but Your will be done. Help me daily to see Your presence as I continue to serve You in Your Kingdom.
1 Have thine own way, Lord!
Have thine own way!
Thou art the potter,
I am the clay.
Mold me and make me
after thy will,
while I am waiting,
yielded and still.
2 Have thine own way, Lord!
Have thine own way!
Search me and try me,
Savior today!
Wash me just now, Lord,
wash me just now,
as in thy presence
humbly I bow.