Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 14.11-14
11 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people. 12 Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague.” 13 But I said, “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.’ ” 14 Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds
Reflection: Second Chances Blown
By John Tillman
How many “second chances” are we willing to give? How many do we deserve?
Judah’s second chances ran out. God wouldn’t even allow Jeremiah to pray for them anymore. They were given over to evil choices and consequences.
Judah had chance after chance to repent. They were reminded about sin but they turned back to it. They were warned about evil, but they just called evil good. Prophet after prophet proclaimed the truth, but they continually turned to lies.
With enough effort, you can always find a prophet saying what you want to hear. This was true for Judah and it is true for us today. If you don’t like the facts on the news, you can listen to different news channels with “alternate facts.” If hearing Jesus’ words at church offends your political sensibilities or convicts you of sin, you can always find a church that puts your political sensibilities in the pulpit instead of the gospel or never mentions sin. But this is deadly dangerous.
The first things God lists when describing himself to Moses are “compassionate, gracious, and slow to anger.” (Exodus 34.6) But even God reaches his limit. Our every little denial hardens our hearts a bit more. Every little rebellion opens a wider rift. Every little half-truth weakens our sight. Every little refusal to listen deafens.When we reject calls to repent, call evil good, and blaspheme the Holy Spirit speaking through his prophets we risk finding the limits of God’s patience. God is also the God who “does not leave the guilty unpunished.” (Exodus 34.6-7)
The first sign of God’s punishment is not usually fire from the sky or police at the door. It is when God stops appealing to our hard hearts and instead makes them even harder. He stops giving us light and leaves us in darkness. He stops calling out to us and leaves us in silence. He lets us become so sure of ourselves that we won’t listen to anyone. The most dreadful judgment of God is when he lets us burn in the fires of our own prideful self-confidence.
Have you blown your second chances? If you have any pricks of conscience, probably not yet. Those turned over to sin have seared consciences. Humble yourself and soften your heart.
Is there light you’ve blocked out? Truth you’ve tuned out? Sin you’ve indulged? Stirrings of the Spirit you’ve quenched? Prophets you’ve ignored?
Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence
Bow your heavens and come down; touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. — Psalm 144.5
– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.
Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 14 (Listen 3:51)
Galatians 5 (Listen 3:22)
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Read more about Choices and Hard Hearts
Hardened hearts happen in stages. Our choices matter. Our hearts are hardened or softened day after day.
