Jeremiah 29:15-19: a reflection

15Because you have said, “The LORD has raised us up prophets in Babylon,” 16the LORD says concerning the king who sits on David’s throne, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who haven’t gone with you into captivity, 17the LORD of Armies says: “Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like rotten figs that can’t be eaten, they are so bad. 18I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an object of horror, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, 19because they have not listened to my words,” says the LORD, “with which I sent to them my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but you would not hear,” says the LORD.

In pronouncing judgment on those who would not listen, God says something that reveals his heart: they were judged because they did not listen to my words, which I sent to them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but you would not hear. That phrase, rising up early and sending them, pictures God's diligence, his earnest, tireless effort to reach his people, sending warning after warning, prophet after prophet, early and often. And the tragedy is that, for all his diligence, they would not hear.

Notice the picture of God's earnestness: rising up early and sending. It is the image of one who is diligent, eager, tireless in the effort to reach another, up early, sending again and again, sparing no effort. This is how God pursued his people with warning: not reluctantly or once, but earnestly, repeatedly, tirelessly, sending prophet after prophet to call them back. His diligence in warning them was great; the failure was not in his effort, but in their refusal to hear.

That picture of God's earnest, diligent pursuit is worth taking to heart, both for the comfort and the warning in it. The comfort: God is not reluctant or half-hearted in reaching out to us; he pursues us earnestly, diligently, tirelessly, sparing no effort to reach us with his word. And the warning: the tragedy is not in God's effort, which is great, but in our refusal to hear. Do not let the tragedy of these people be yours: that God rose up early and sent, again and again, earnestly reaching out to you, but you would not hear. God pursues you diligently with his word; do not refuse to listen, as they refused. He rises up early and sends; give heed to the God who so earnestly and tirelessly reaches out to you, rather than being, like them, one who would not hear despite all his diligent pursuit.

Lord, in pronouncing judgment you revealed your heart: they were judged because they did not listen to my words, which I sent by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but you would not hear. That phrase, rising up early and sending, pictures your diligence, your earnest, tireless effort to reach your people, sending warning after warning. Take to my heart both the comfort and the warning in it. The comfort: you are not reluctant or half-hearted in reaching out to me; you pursue me earnestly, diligently, tirelessly, sparing no effort to reach me with your word. And the warning: the tragedy is not in your effort, which is great, but in refusal to hear. Do not let the tragedy of these people be mine: that you rose up early and sent, again and again, earnestly reaching out to me, but I would not hear. You pursue me diligently with your word; keep me from refusing to listen, as they refused. You rise up early and send; help me give heed to you, who so earnestly and tirelessly reach out to me, rather than being, like them, one who would not hear despite all your diligent pursuit. Thank you for pursuing me so earnestly, Lord; help me hear you.