20th.: Get Them, Lord
Jeremiah's enemies threatened him with:
“... ‘Come and let us devise devices against Jeremiah,
for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word
from the prophet. Come and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.’” (Jer. 18:18).
Jeremiah took these threats to the Lord,
Give heed to me, O Lord, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.
Shall evil be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my soul.
Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away
thy wrath from them. … Yet Lord, thou knows all their counsel against me to slay me.
Forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight.
But let them be overthrown before thee. Deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.” (Jer. 18:19-23).
It is easy to pray to save a people, when one does not feel threatened.
But threats can change our prayers.
Jeremiah asked God to punish Judah with some of the same
punishments that God had already ordained.
Be careful how we pray, when the threats start coming.
“Bless them that curse you, … pray for them which despitefully use you …” (Matt 5:44)