FACING UP TO IT

JEREMIAH 12:5

A. "IF THOU HAST RUN WITH THE FOOTMEN, AND THEY WEARIED THEE, THEN HOW CANST THOU CONTEND WITH THE HORSES? AND IF THE LAND OF PEACE, WHEREIN THOU TRUSTEDST, THEY WEARIED THEE, THEN HOW WILT THOU DO IN THE SWELLING OF JORDAN"
  1. These are grave questions, not easily answered:
    1. They were addressed to the prophet Jeremiah, who shrank back from the assignment given to him
    2. He met with so much opposition that he would rather that the Lord release him from the assignment
  2. But the moral of these questions comes to all of us sooner or later:
    1. Human nature shrinks from difficulties, from opposition
    2. Even the Son of God was fearful of the cup that was waiting for Him - John 18:11 B. FACING UP TO IT
  3. The questions in our text touch us where we are most sensitive:
    1. Many people who are imaginative and sensitive, as Jeremiah was, continually vex themselves by wondering what they would do if certain things would happen to them
    2. What if we lose our home? What if we get sick and are unable to care for ourselves?
    3. What shall we do if we have a crop failure?
  4. Our Lord knows our frailties and gives us timely counsel to be guided by:
    1. "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; not yet for your body, what ye shall put on" - Matt. 6:25
    2. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" - Matt. 6:33
    3. "For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things" - Matt. 6:32
  5. The Bible teaches and the facts of life demonstrated:
    1. That man has been incapacitated to a point where he is not capable, by himself, to successfully meet the problems of life
    2. Said Jesus, "For without me ye can do nothing" - John 15:5
    3. The prophet of God came to that conclusion as well: "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil" - Jer. 13:23
    4. Paul makes this same humble confession in his letter to the Romans - Rom. 7:14-23
    5. Later he writes to the Philippians, "Have no confidence in the flesh" - Phil. 3:3 C. IN FACING UP TO THE FACTS, WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO KNOW
  6. That our God knows our infirmities and that none of us is either wise enough or possesses the powers to cope successfully with life's problems
    1. "Behold I have made thee this day a defended city, an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land"
    2. "They shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee" - Jer. 1:18-19
  7. God's promise to ancient Israel was:
    1. "As thy days so shall thy strength be" - Deut. 33:25
    2. "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him" - 2 Chron. 16:9
    3. "He giveth power to the faint: and to them that have no might he increaseth strength" - Is. 40:29
    4. "Fear not; for I am with thee, be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee: yea I will help thee; yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" - Is. 41:10
  8. What more could we ask of the Lord?
    1. To face up to the duties that he has for us!
    2. What excuses can we make for our dismal failures in life?
    3. And if we are too feeble to run with the footmen, what are we going to do to keep up with the horses? Or what are we going to do in the swelling of the Jordan?


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