Jeremiah 26-29

Nobody wanted to hear what Jeremiah had to say because it was tough love from the Lord.  Other priests and prophets ran around promising peace and goodness and prosperity without admonishing their people to turn from their wickedness.  Tough love is hard.  It hurts to hear that we’ve grieved our parents…how much more it hurts to hear that we’ve grieved our Creator!

I had to be tough with my daughter today…but I am ashamed at the way I did so in anger.  We got up early and went to the ice rink so she could practice for tomorrow’s competition (her first!).  The only thing is, she was too shy to skate around all the other kids or to ask someone to play her music for her.  I grew more and more frustrated as I watched her approach someone…and then back away.  She had used up half of the time I had paid for when I snapped.

I used an ugly tone and basically yelled at her to get back on the ice and get over that shyness.  Her coach happened to be there and was much nicer than I was about the whole thing.

Then I went back up the stairs to the stands and felt a piece of my heart fly away to oblivion — I had made her cry.

On the up side, she did get up the nerve to ask someone to play her music for her, and she did run through her program and finished with a smile on her face.

It hurts when we have to face up to our sins and weaknesses.  I can only pray that I won’t be like the people of Judah whose knee jerk reaction to Jeremiah’s warnings from the Lord was to kill the messenger.  Oh Lord, please give me a teachable heart!  Soften me so I can accept the chisel you apply to me in love.  Forgive me for speaking out in anger today rather than in love!  And help me have ears to hear the Truth.