The Word of the Lord Came to Me

This meditation is based on a passage for March 21, 2011 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).

Text: Jeremiah 1:11-19

Reflection and Question: Jeremiah, the skilled preacher, uses concrete images and word play to make his point. Translation in language and time make it very difficult for us to grasp the power of the prophet’s preaching. We miss the play on words in Hebrew between shaqed, “almond tree,” and shoqed, “watch.” Likewise, we are not attuned to what makes a boiling pot and an invading army equally dreadful. What we can grasp is the assurance Jeremiah gives that God will deliver the people from the troubles all around them. Does Jeremiah reassure you when disaster threatens you like a boiling pot?

Prayer: Great and loving God, Your word came to Jeremiah and it has been, in turn, handed down to us. Bring this preacher’s words to life for us so that we may not worship the work of our own hands, as did our ancestors. Watch over us. Amen.