Jeremiah 14:1-9: a reflection

1This is the LORD’s word that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: 2“Judah mourns, and its gates languish. They sit in black on the ground. The cry of Jerusalem goes up. 3Their nobles send their little ones to the waters. They come to the cisterns, and find no water. They return with their vessels empty. They are disappointed and confounded, and cover their heads. 4Because of the ground which is cracked, because no rain has been in the land, the plowmen are disappointed. They cover their heads. 5Yes, the doe in the field also calves and forsakes her young, because there is no grass. 6The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights. They pant for air like jackals. Their eyes fail, because there is no vegetation. 7Though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name’s sake, LORD; for our rebellions are many. We have sinned against you. 8You hope of Israel, its Savior in the time of trouble, why should you be as a foreigner in the land, and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to stay for a night? 9Why should you be like a scared man, as a mighty man who can’t save? Yet you, LORD, are in the middle of us, and we are called by your name. Don’t leave us.

In a time of devastating drought, when the land mourns and the people find no water, Jeremiah prays a prayer that appeals to God not on the ground of the people's worthiness, but on the ground of God's own name. Though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name's sake, LORD; for our rebellions are many; we have sinned against you. He does not claim they deserve God's help; he admits their many sins. Instead he appeals to God's own name and honor, and to God's presence among them: you are in the middle of us, and we are called by your name; do not leave us.

Notice the ground of Jeremiah's appeal: not the people's merit, but God's own name and honor. He freely admits their sins; he does not pretend they deserve rescue. Instead he asks God to act for his own name's sake, because they are called by his name and he dwells among them; God's own honor is bound up with them. He appeals not to what they deserve, but to who God is and to the name they bear. That is a ground of appeal that stands even when merit fails.

That way of appealing to God, on the ground of his name rather than our worthiness, is worth learning, for our own merit gives us no claim. When we come to God in need, we can feel we have no right to ask, because our sins testify against us; and if our appeal rested on our worthiness, we would have no ground. But Jeremiah appealed to God's own name and honor, not to merit; and that ground stands even when we deserve nothing. When you come to God aware that you deserve nothing, do not despair of appealing to him; appeal, as Jeremiah did, to God's own name and honor, not to your worthiness. Ask God to act for his own name's sake, because you are called by his name and he has bound himself to his people; this ground stands even when your merit fails. Appeal to who God is and to the name you bear, as Jeremiah did, rather than to what you deserve, for God's own name and honor are a firmer ground of appeal than any worthiness of yours.

Lord, in a time of devastating drought, when the land mourned and the people found no water, Jeremiah prayed a prayer that appealed to you not on the ground of the people's worthiness, but on the ground of your own name: though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name's sake, LORD; for our rebellions are many; we have sinned against you. He did not claim they deserved your help; he admitted their many sins. Instead he appealed to your own name and honor, and to your presence among them: you are in the middle of us, and we are called by your name; do not leave us. Show me the ground of his appeal: not the people's merit, but your own name and honor. He freely admits their sins; he does not pretend they deserve rescue. Instead he asks you to act for your own name's sake, because they are called by your name and you dwell among them. That is a ground of appeal that stands even when merit fails. Help me learn that way of appealing to you, for my own merit gives me no claim. When I come to you in need, I can feel I have no right to ask, because my sins testify against me; and if my appeal rested on my worthiness, I would have no ground. But Jeremiah appealed to your own name and honor. When I come to you aware that I deserve nothing, keep me from despairing of appealing to you; help me appeal, as Jeremiah did, to your own name and honor. Help me ask you to act for your own name's sake, because I am called by your name, Lord, for this ground stands even when my merit fails.