19My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart! My heart trembles within me. I can’t hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
1Oh that my head were waters,
and my eyes a spring of tears,
that I might weep day and night
for the slain of the daughter of my people!
From his very calling as a young adult, Jeremiah’s message was difficult. The people were living in disobedience to God. They worshipped other gods, forgetting the first commandment ‘have no other gods before me’, do not worship anyone or anything else. The people would attend temple worship and then go straight out and join in the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice to heathen gods. Despite God’s clear warning not to consult mediums and fortune tellers, this practice a became common place among the Jews. All of these actions were in direct violation of God’s plan for the people which he loved dearly.
It was into this situation that Jeremiah was called to tell the people the truth, that the way they were living was not pleasing to God. Jeremiah pleaded with the people to turn away from what they were doing, he warned them that it would end in hurt and disaster. While Jeremiah declared the truth to the people it is important to remember that he wept for them too. He didn’t just preach at the people he was genuinely broken for them first.
Today as we look around it is easy to see all that is wrong with the world. If we look even closer we can see the trouble in our own communities right down to our own friends and family. We recognise the need for change, we pray for God to intervene, we ask for wisdom in what to say. But do we genuinely feel it deeply, do we weep for our people, is our love and brokenness apparent for those who need to know God. For Jeremiah every sermon began in a pool of tears wept in love for the people he was trying to reach.