August 11 – Jeremiah 18-22

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Jeremiah 18-22. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

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I am often amazed with stories of Christians willing to stand against culture and even laws to preach and teach about Jesus. We are astounded by men like C.Y. Kim who has gone to prison over and over again for preaching Jesus in his native Southeast Asia. We honor men like Jim Elliot who gave his life to reach tribal people of Ecuador. We marvel at men like Dr. Livingston who gave his whole life to share Jesus with people in remote corners of Africa. We are able to feel this way because we can comfortably watch from the sidelines in our safe American churches.

Jeremiah faced his own form of persecution. He preached the message God gave him. God sent Jeremiah out with an object lesson where he broke a pot indicating what God would do to Judah, especially Jerusalem. He spoke words outside the Temple of God, and when the priest in charge of the Temple heard Jeremiah speak, he arrested him. Now Jeremiah only spent one night in jail, but he was still arrested for speaking the message that God had given him. Trouble for Jeremiah is only beginning.

Let me ask you, are you willing to possibly become more uncomfortable for Jesus? We admire people around the globe who stand up for Christ. But what if your faith, what if you relationship with Jesus called for you to do the same? The more I watch our world, the more I am convinced that I may just see some sort of real persecution for my faith in Christ. The struggle I have in my own mind is the question of whether I will be strong enough and willing to sacrifice for my God and savior. I used to say I hope that day would never come, but as time goes on I am beginning to prepare and accept that it will come. Maybe for me that is a good indication that I would be willing to stand up for God. Where are you at in your own heart?