restoration for a weary prophet

Therefore thus says the LORD:

“If you return, I will restore you,

and you shall stand before me.

If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,

you shall be as my mouth.

They shall turn to you,

but you shall not turn to them.”

Jeremiah 15:19

God promises to use His disillusioned and dejected prophet. Jeremiah faced opposition to the Word of God that he had faithfully preached. He lamented this to God, wishing he had never been born (Jeremiah 15:10). This is what we would call depression, by the way. He prayed for God to act on his behalf (Jeremiah 15:15). He readily and joyfully embraced the words of prophecy that God gave him to speak (Jeremiah 15:16). He separated himself from the evil that God was going to eventually judge (Jeremiah 15:17). And yet the persecution against him increased and for Jeremiah God felt absent… life felt dry (Jeremiah 15:18). Why did his obedience lead to such pain and increased hatred? It didn’t make sense.

God spoke four promises to His weary prophet that restored him back to ministry power and purpose:

1.  “I will restore if you return.” Jeremiah needed to just trust God again. God would do the rest.

2.  “You shall stand before me.” God would be the audience Jeremiah sought to please. God would the prophet’s support.

3.  “You shall be my mouth.” God would speak, not Jeremiah, words of precious truth to combat the worthless way the prophet currently felt. So God would be ultimately responsible for the results since these were HIS words.

4. “They shall turn to you.” The prophet would be heard as his focus was on God, not the people.

And so, when our eyes are not myopically self-centered in our personal experience, when our hopes are not dependent upon the response of other people, when our worth is measured by the God Who made us to serve Him, we can trust that a God with a much bigger periphery than our own will use us… even if we feel worthless… even if our lives seem dry. It isn’t about us! It is all about the God Who renews, saves, and restores for His glory!