October 6

OT -- Jeremiah 6:15-8:7
It is tough for me to be reading Jeremiah this time of year.
I miss my brother Nathan so badly in late September-October. I am not sure why -- but this time of year is always tough for me -- tougher even than August with his birthday and death day.
I think it is because of the incredible beauty we have in Atlanta during this time. The leaves here are simply stunning and the weather is usually gorgeous. Why that makes me miss Nathan, I have no idea. And I don't buy the whole 'it's dying time for the plants' mantra. In Atlanta, we plant grass in October! Nothing really dies here.

Jeremiah must have been in that same October mood. He swings violently from absolute LOATHING of the people of Judah to deep, wrenching, almost sobbing poetry begging them to return to the Lord. It is almost like he was told to tell them one thing -- straighten up and do it right smart or I'm bringing the hammer down but in his heart he felt differently -- insanely, desperately wanting the people's hearts to change.

And we know from Bible history that they DID not change and so it is like looking at the folks who tried over and over and over again to prevent World War II. It was just not possible.

And maybe that is one of the reasons why we read Jeremiah. There are so many, many times in my life where I have resisted change. Sometimes because the change was bad; others just because I liked the status quo. And yes, I have had prophets show up in my life from time to time and I was not nice to them any more than the people of Judah were nice to Jeremiah. I did not want to hear that what I was doing was evil, wrong or just plain bad for me.
It's tempting to laugh them off. To refuse to listen. All of which I have done, usually to my detriment.
Which makes the fall so much harder. Because then, I have the whole 'I told you sos' to listen to as well as the actual fall.

For me, the trouble always is -- who is the Jeremiah and who is just a know-it-all busybody?

Friends, on this gorgeous Fall weekend, I wish you peace and serenity. And if you are missing someone, may our Lord's comforting arms surround you.