Jeremiah 14:7-12 - Keep short accounts with God

Jeremiah took it upon himself to intercede with God on behalf of the people. He identified with their sin and pled with God to come to their rescue. Captured in Jeremiah 14:7-9 was how he pled with God. He asked God to come to their rescue for His own name’s sake. Here, he was imploring God to consider His own reputation. He was certain that God was their only hope but He was totally uninterested in Judah’s plight. God was like a stranger that was merely visiting their land temporarily.

Yet Jeremiah was sure that God was in their midst but was nonchalant about what they were going through.  Feeling the people's desperation, Jeremiah felt as if God was like a man in distress and unable to fight. Bewildered, he wondered why God would not come to the rescue of the people who were called by His name and belonged to Him.

God in Jeremiah 14:10-12 then explained to the prophet why he was not responding to his plea. God explained that He had abandoned His people. He was only doing what they did to Him. It was they who had first left Him and did not keep their feet in check. For their waywardness and persistent sin God was calling them to account. God even told Jeremiah to stop praying for them. Now even if they should come before Him fasting, bringing their sacrifices of burnt offering, He would not be moved to come to their rescue. Nothing was going to save them from the judgment. God had made up His mind to come to them with the sword, famine, and pestilence. In other words, they would have to face war, shortage of food as well as strange diseases.   

There was nothing else they could do when God gave up on them. They had tested God’s patience for far too long. They had shown their disrespect for God one time too many. It behooves us to act and not procrastinate just because God is patient. He will allow condone our wrongs and allow us to perpetuate them. So we must heed His call and act the moment He speaks.  God expects us to follow through. The best thing to do in our journey with God is to keep a short account with Him.