foot races with horses

If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you,

how will you compete with horses?

And if in a safe land you are so trusting,

what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?

Jeremiah 12:5

Jeremiah the prophet has come to God with his questions. He has seen things he does not quite understand: wicked people prospering as God’s justice seems far away (Jeremiah 12:1-2). This disregard extends not only to the wrong treatment of people, but also creates environmental damage and spiritual apathy (Jeremiah 12:4). Jeremiah is grieved and broken by this wicked damage that incenses his moral compass and makes God seem distant and unconcerned (Jeremiah 12:3).

God’s answer to Jeremiah puts the prophet in his place and is essentially this: “You think you are hurting now, Jeremiah? Wait until I do unleash my judgment... it is about to get even harder to witness what is happening in your world!”

Jeremiah was weary from running the foot race against these wicked people. But he would not stand a chance of running against the coming war horses! Jeremiah dwelt in secure borders... but God’s people were about to be scattered to desolation like rabbits hiding in a bramble! God was about to answer Jeremiah’s prayer. And his judgment would also increase the prophet’s pain.

I think Christians should be careful about our potshot observations of our broken world. We ourselves are not without sin and the need to answer to God. I have seen a lot of holier-than-thou attitudes come from the Christian community in my lifetime. I was at one time deceived by legalistic spirituality that defied grace and constantly took pride in taking potshots at “the world” in order to make graceless living look “better”. I learned that it was Pharisaical pride and sinful self justification that created the sense of feeling better about myself that this practice generated. It is very wrong. And it fails to keep pace when the horses burst on the scene! 

Jesus blessed the meek, the peacemakers, the poor, the hungry, the grieving, the pure in heart, and the persecuted. It is when I am weak that Jesus is strong. It is when I recognize my utter need that the kingdom of heaven is closest to me and provides the grace that richly sustains. It is in that humble realization that I repent of my pride and let God by the judge of all. It is useless to legalistically foot race with the horses!