Jeremiah 43

When I was growing up, one of the worst things we could say to my mom was, “Thank you for putting up with me.” She didn’t mind the gratitude part, but I don’t think I’m overstating it to say she absolutely hated the idea that she had “put up” with us.

It wasn’t until I became a mother myself that I understood her in that regard. I mean, there were times growing up when I thought I was a lot to put up with (and I thought it was nice to acknowledge her patience in that endeavor), and there are still times when I think I’m a lot to put up with! But now I understand how thanking my mother for putting up with me was a ridiculous statement. It’s like a piano thanking a pianist for putting in all the hours of practice. If the pianist loves music, running scales is part of the package. It may even be delightful. Maybe it’s not Rachmaninoff, but it’s part of the deal.

And motherhood is glorious—both the “fun” parts and the parts we might be apt to label as those we “put up with.” It’s all mixed up together in one, grand experience. I no more “put up with” with my girls’ dirty laundry than I “put up with” their goofy giggles. It’s all part of the deal.

Having said that, the first thought that came to me as I read today’s chapter was, Wow, God puts up with a lot. I mean, I know that for Him, it’s all part of the deal, too. But, come on, you Israelites!

Here, they had come to Jeremiah, begging for a message from God, promising to do whatever He said: “Then they said to Jeremiah, ‘May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the Lord your God sends you to tell us. Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the Lord our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the Lord our God.’” (Jer 42:5-6)

They even went so far as to acknowledge that the message God would send might just be something they didn’t want to hear! And, when that proved to be the case, did they keep their promise? When the message was “unfavorable” to their ears, did they obey? Of course not: “When Jeremiah had finished telling the people all the words of the Lord their God—everything the Lord had sent him to tell them—Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, ‘You are lying! The Lord our God has not sent you to say, “You must not go to Egypt to settle there.” But Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us to hand us over to the Babylonians, so they may kill us or carry us into exile to Babylon.’” (vs 1-3)

Sigh. Just another empty promise. Just another dead-end road. Wasn’t God getting tired of it all?

What amazes me is that, even at this juncture, God was still answering their inquiries. He was still showing when they asked Him to appear. He didn’t say, “What’s the use of sending a message through my prophet? You never listen to them anyway!” They asked for His word, and even though He knew they were going to ignore Him, He still graciously sent a message to them through Jeremiah.

Maybe God is like my mom, and maybe He cringes at being thanked for putting up with us. At the end of the day, I know it’s all part of the deal, but He does endure an awful lot. His everlasting love for us must pull Him constantly through the entire gamut of emotion—from exhilaration to devastation. But through it all, He is passionate, He is gracious, and He is steadfast.

He never ceases to amaze me.