Devotionals

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Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10
Hebrews 12:1-4
Luke 12:49-53

One of the great sins of modern people is the denial of the pit. In these scriptures, Jeremiah is literally thrown into a muddy pit, and in the end God rescues him from it. Metaphorically, we have all been in the pit. Some of us have been saved from it, some not. But many people would deny there even is a pit from which to be rescued.

There is a strange phenomenon that manifests itself when people try to change their lives for the better, and that's opposition from the very people who ought to be helping them. People trying to lose weight, exercise more, change their diets, or eliminate harmful habits such as smoking or drinking often report that it's their family and friends who give them the hardest time, criticizing, and tempting them back. Be like you used to be, they say. You're not the person I used to know. They take change personally, as a rejection of themselves. If you become better, the attitude seems to be, I must become worse. If you change, this means there is something which needs to be addressed, work to be done, and I don't want to.

Jesus knew there would always be this opposition to the good and the true: “From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother.” Why? Why should the realization that there is a better way cause division? There are many reasons, but perhaps the main one is simple denial of the pit. If someone I know is pulled out of the pit, I can no longer ignore that there even is a pit. I start to think uncomfortable thoughts; I cannot maintain ignorance. I have to make changes, and these can be hard. Jesus came to set the earth on fire, and fire does not soothe; it burns.

Over and over in my own life, when I was starting to see the truth, turn to Jesus, make some changes for the better, I immediately felt opposition from those I loved and trusted. What are you doing that for? How can you believe that nonsense? And time and time again, I gave in. I let them pull me back into the pit with them. Pit? What pit? This is as good as it gets.

But Jesus never gave up on me. Long after I had given up on myself, he remained my friend. After I had broken every promise I had ever made, he kept his. All I had to to do was ask, and I received, knock and the door was opened. When I finally put my trust in the only one who would never let me down, the one who had called me and knew me by name since before I was born, I was finally strong enough and aware enough to see the pit and climb out. Jesus himself endured the greatest trials, and why? For us: “Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.” What joy is there before us if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and follow him!

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