SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 25
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Weep and wail, you shepherds; roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock. For your time to be slaughtered has come; you will fall like the best of the rams. The shepherds will have nowhere to flee, the leaders of the flock no place to escape. Hear the cry of the shepherds, the wailing of the leaders of the flock, for the LORD is destroying their pasture. The peaceful meadows will be laid waste because of the fierce anger of the LORD. [Jeremiah 25:34-37]
These words sound very harsh to our ears, and unless we know the context, we are likely to react negatively to Jeremiah or the God that speaks through him.
Why is God so angry, isn’t He being vicious, cruel, unfair?
But context matters – we need to realize how vicious, cruel and unfair the shepherds (and the sheep by imitation) had become.
God gave them plenty of warning, but they refused to change [Jeremiah 25:4].

Jesus tells similar stories of faithless servants, who refuse to repent even though they are warned again and again [see Matthew 21:33-41].
And again, Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. [Matthew 24:45-47]
This illustration takes place in Jesus’ description of the last days, a time of war and violence and judgment.
God established His people in His chosen land in order to shine as lights in a dark world, to be models of godliness and goodness.
If they had been faithful, they would have been blessed [Jeremiah 25:5-6].
I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened. [Jeremiah 25:3]

But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [Matthew 24:48-51]
Jeremiah calls the shepherds to weep and to wail; Jesus speaks of weeping and gnashing of teeth.

God has blessed us with so much, and placed us where we are, with what we have, for a purpose, for His purpose – to be a light, models of godliness and goodness.
At the end of our lives, is that what He will find?
What kinds of shepherds (Jesus-followers) will we be?
For all of our talk about being Jesus followers (or christians, or good people), who are we really living for? whose kingdom are we really building?

Through this, the Lord is sending us a message, inviting or warning us.
This day, this reading, will be one of the things the Lord will point to on Judgment Day when He says, I have spoken to you again and again…
… and you have listened!
… but you have not listened!

PRAYER:
Lord, thanks for speaking to me again today, reminding me of why I am hear and of what You want me to be and to do. Help me to listen!