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Today I am inviting you to read again the shortest chapter in the Book of the prophet Jeremiah. You had a preview on January 14th. It is Chapter 45, and it won't take you more than a minute. But hold on - before you do, if you want to get the best out of it, there are three things to remember:
1. Baruch was Jeremiah's secretary. He wasn't the prophet. He wasn't the King. He wasn't the author. He was merely the postman. That was his job, and his place to write down, and deliver, even sometimes read out aloud, the words of the Lord via Jeremiah.
2."The fourth year of Jehoiakim" quoted here, points us to read, for gripping background information, Jeremiah Chapter 36, and see Baruch's fragmentary part in the drama.
3. Baruch had fallen into a self-important stress syndrome. 'Poor old me, I'm so busy with all I'm doing - overworked and underpaid. No one appreciates me.' That's why God said to him, in effect, 'If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen'. Or, 'In a world facing catastrophe, think yourself blessed and fortunate if you survive'.
Now read Jeremiah Chapter 45 and ask yourself, 'Do I know my place in God's scheme of things?' A servant of God has no place for a personal career. No reputation to uphold. He is not called to seek great things for himself.To ignore this is to spend our time painting the deck chairs on the Titanic!
Now in case your wondering about God saying 'If you can't stand the heat', then here's the original.
If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out,how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan? Jeremiah 12:5
A Prayer:Help me, Lord, today to know my place in your household, and to complain not, lest I begin to fight for me and my rights, and see not your righteousness.
Now read Jeremiah Chapter 36
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