A Burning Desire (Jeremiah 20:9)

When something unusual or special happens to us, we want to share the news with others. A promotion, good grades, an award-all of these are so much more meaningful when we share it others, especially with those whom we love. If something prevents us from immediately sharing the news, we may take the initiative to post the event on a social networking site, if only to allow others to learn about the event. In one way or another, we will get people to hear about what we want to say!

Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.”
But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.
Jeremiah 20:9

Jeremiah loved his people and could not bear to see them punished for their sins, desperately asking them to turn from their sins and repent. God is patient but His time of patience of grace was to soon end and the wrath of God would descend upon the Jews who would be taken into Babylonian captivity.  In this passage, the prophet Jeremiah is discouraged that his message from God was greeted with such hostility. He complained that everyone mocked him, saying that all he did was proclaim bad news. Out of frustration, Jeremiah stated he would not speak anymore in God’s name. But he was in for a surprise! God’s Word is living and active and cannot be held within us when God commands us to speak it to others. And Jeremiah obeyed God and continued to speak about Him. His Word was a burning fire, unable to be held back.

Do we have as much excitement within our hearts to share God’s Word and love as we do with events in our own life?  James states we cannot be only hearers of the Word but doers as well. If God’s Word dwells within us, it will burn through our conscience and be shared with everyone with whom we come into contact.

God’s Word is a burning fire. It cannot be quenched by our efforts, no matter how stubborn or hostile we may be. The more we resist it, the more intense it will burn through our soul.

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life.