Be a marathon believer

The prophet Jeremiah’s life can be summed up in one word: a hard road! This is exactly what he did for God. For more than 40 years he had to tell Israel that the wind from Above was blowing against them. They were on the way out. The Babylonians, their enemies, would take the land. Israel’s temple also wouldn’t survive. These words quickly made him a persona non grata, an unwelcome figure, in Jerusalem. Assassination attempts, house arrest, corporal punishment and wooden blocks were Jeremiah’s fate. No wonder Jeremiah’s faith was described as “a long obedience in God’s direction” by Eugene Petersen. Day in and day out this brave prophet had to learn to keep his eyes on God and not on his terrible circumstances. He had to keep on seeing God while everything around him was falling to pieces. Such faith is faith that makes sense. It is not a type of “quick fix” faith where God has to sort out your circumstances so that you can continue on your way untroubled. No, it is faith which trusts in God regardless of what happens. Please learn from Jeremiah. Be a marathon believer.