The Park Forum

Links for today’s readings:

Aug 11  Read: Jeremiah 5 Listen: (5:04) Read: James 1 Listen: (3:26)

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 5.1, 9

1 “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, 
look around and consider, 
search through her squares. 
If you can find but one person 
who deals honestly and seeks the truth, 
I will forgive this city. 
9 Should I not punish them for this?” 
declares the Lord. 
“Should I not avenge myself 
on such a nation as this? 

Reflection: One Righteous

By John Tillman

Popular stories often have moments where the plot forces a horrible choice.

A secret agent struggles to stop a missile launch with time running out. Will his best friend bomb the compound, stopping the launch but killing his friend? Will he risk evil continuing in order to spare a loved one?

The tension of these stories holds us rapt. What will the heroes do? Will they still be heroes if they do it? 

Jerusalem is facing a disastrous reckoning for its evil. God points out Jerusalem’s evil to Jeremiah, saying, “Shouldn’t I punish them for this?” (Jeremiah 5.9) Should God allow evil to continue?

In Genesis (Genesis 18.25), Abraham asked God to spare Sodom on behalf of the righteous. Eventually, God agreed that for ten righteous people he would spare the city. This story is reversed. God challenged Jeremiah to find even one righteous person. Jeremiah looked among the poor and uneducated and among the wealthy and wise. He found only rebellion, greed, and abuse. 

Suppose Jeremiah found a righteous person and God relented…the city would remain evil. The wicked would continue to abuse the vulnerable. Would that be righteous?

There were, and are, none righteous. (Romans 3.10) So God sent the righteous one. Jesus is the one righteous person for whom many will be spared. But this is not that simple. Jesus isn’t a holy hostage, or a heavenly human shield preventing God from punishing evil. God goes beyond that. We are not simply “spared” on account of the one righteous one. The gospel is greater than that. It’s not just a rescue. It’s a rebellion. 

In Jeremiah, we see the evil city of Jerusalem punished by a greater evil city of Babylon. However, through Jesus, we can redeem and transform the evil cities we live in by the light of the heavenly city we carry within us. Rather than allow the city to be overcome by evil, God, through Jesus, through us, desires to overcome evil with good.

The question is not whether you or I should give an evil city a pass because there is some “good” in it. The question is whether you and I will become the righteousness of God that transforms cities.

May we become righteous ones through Jesus. Let his righteousness fill us from within and clothe us without. By his Spirit, pray with your mouth, love with your heart, and work with your hands to establish righteousness.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

The Lord has sworn an oath to David; in truth, he will not break it: “A son, fruit of your body, will I set upon your throne.” — Psalm 132.11-12

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Jesus, Our Blessed One

We are…partaking of his righteousness.
It is he who makes us prosper, and spreads the seed of his gospel over the earth.

Read more: Law of Freedom

The Law was more than a civil code. “The Law” implied the totality of the wisdom of God expressed through scripture in many ways.

Links for today’s readings:

Aug 10  Read: Jeremiah 4 Listen: (5:23) Read: Psalms 149-150 Listen: (1:36)

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 4.1-4, 10

Reflection: Prescription for Peace

By John Tillman

Jeremiah complained the people were “deceived” with messages of peace. Other prophets promised peace was around the corner. Jeremiah warned a dangerous lion was around the corner, ready to pounce (Jer 4.7). Throughout Jeremiah and elsewhere in scripture there is a theme of false prophets promising false peace (Micah 3.5; Eze 13.10, 16).

If you have a deadly disease, you don’t want a feel-good doctor who tells you to relax and take a peaceful vacation. You want a responsible doctor who will accurately diagnose the threat and prescribe a life-saving treatment, even if it is difficult and extensive.

Jeremiah was a responsible doctor, but Jerusalem preferred Doctor Feelgood who told them what they wanted to hear.

Twice Jeremiah wrote, “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.” (Jer 6.14; 8.11) Twice Jeremiah said, “We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror.” (Jer 8.15; 14.19)

Jeremiah lamented, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place’” (Jer 14.13) and “No harm will come to you” (Jer 23.17). 

Even when you know the truth, when enough people start shouting the opposite, there’s a feeling of moral vertigo. When everyone seems crazy, sane people wonder if they are the crazy ones. Jeremiah must have felt this way. We can too.

There are many saying the wounds of sin are not serious and “No harm will come to you.” Promising false peace isn’t “hoping for the best,” “staying positive,” or “looking on the bright side.” It’s deceptive and dangerous. Promises of false peace harden hearts against the truth that a spiritual war is in progress. False peace is meditating in the park when you should run for the bomb shelter.

Jeremiah does not say there will never be peace. There is peace to be had for those who shelter under the right set of wings (Ps 91.4; Ruth 2.12; Matt 23.37; Luke 13.34). There is peace to be found from Jesus, the only prince who can grant it (Jn 14.27; 16.33; Acts 10.36; Eph 2.14). We must seek this peace and point people to it.

Jeremiah has our diagnosis and treatment plan (Jer 4.3-4). The prescription for peace is to plow up hardened ground and uproot weeds and thorns so the gospel of peace can flourish (Jer 4.3; Luke 8.7, 14). We must continually cultivate our hearts and help our neighbors to do so.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him. — Psalm 96.9

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: All That Has Breath

Let everything that has breath praise the one who surrendered his breath on the cross, yet lives and breathes again.

Read more: Songs of Ascent Playlist — From War to Peace

Psalm 120 is from a low place, captured among those hungry for war…far from the peace of God’s temple.

Links for today’s readings:

Aug 7  Read: Jeremiah 1 Listen: (3:00) Read: Psalm 145 Listen: (2:19

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Aug 8  Read: Jeremiah 2 Listen: (5:54) Read: Psalms 146-147 Listen: (3:09)
Aug 9  Read: Jeremiah 3 Listen: (4:40) Read: Psalm 148 Listen: (1:28)

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 1.6-9; 17-19

6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” 
7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. 
9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

17 “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. 18 Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Reflection: Two Meanings of Too

By John Tillman

“Too” has two meanings. It can mean exclusion or inclusion. It can mean excess or addition. One can say, “Don’t eat too many chips,” or “You can have chips too.”

You’ve probably had negative thoughts about yourself that started with “I’m too…” When you complete that phrase in your mind, what comes out?

There are interesting echoes and contrasts in the callings of Jeremiah and Moses. Jeremiah and Moses both felt they were “too” something. Jeremiah said he didn’t know how to speak because he was “too young.” Moses said he was “slow of speech and tongue.” (Exodus 4.10-12) They were too old, too young, too washed up, too wet behind the ears, too out of touch, too scandalous, too fearful, too angry, too crazy, too outspoken, too harsh, too weepy. They were too much and too little at the same time.

Whether because of fear or legitimate doubts, Jeremiah and Moses used “too” to exclude themselves, thinking God could not or should not use them. You might feel and do the same. God corrected Moses and Jeremiah and he will correct you too.

When we say things like, “I’ve got too much baggage.” God says, “No one’s baggage is too heavy for me.” When we say, “I’m too unimportant.” God says, “You are too important to me. I won’t exclude you.” When we say, “I’m too sinful.” God says, “I have mercy for you too.”

Moses was called to confront a wicked kingdom filled with injustice and false idols. He helped God’s faithful people escape into the wilderness to be formed into a new kind of people. For Jeremiah, the wicked idolatrous kingdom was his own, the only escape was exile. But God would use that exile to reform and refine his people. Moses’ mission was celebrative. Jeremiah’s journey was mournful. Both were difficult and dangerous.

We don’t know what God may call us to in the next days, weeks, months, or years. But when God calls, we can expect to feel similarly to Jeremiah and Moses. We will feel too unprepared, too unqualified, too unworthy, and too weak. When we focus on our limitations, God points to his limitless abilities. When we use “too” to exclude, God uses it to include us.

When we think, “I’m too…” God says, “You, too, are mine.”

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Look well whether there be any wickedness in me and lead me in the way that is everlasting. — Psalm 139.23

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Praying as Music

If music is a universal language, prayer can be similarly described…humankind’s universal language of love to God, a song of praise to our Maker.

Read more: One Who Can Reach

God’s goodness and faithfulness to those who are neither faithful nor good is even more praiseworthy than if we were even marginally deserving.