Jeremiah sacrificed and suffered to be a prophet and turn away God's wrath (Jer 18:20) from "the men of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem" (Jer 18:11). Although Jeremiah saved many people's lives, they did not realize this. They hated Jeremiah and plotted to kill him. They reasoned that Jeremiah's death would not be a loss (Jer 18:18) but their gain. The good Jeremiah had done was "repaid with evil" (Jer 18:20).
We all want to be appreciated. So we are disappointed when we are not thanked. Even more so, when those who have benefited from our good acts repay us by doing evil against us, we are often crushed. At this point we feel like quitting, and we definitely will quit if we are serving the Lord for any other reason than for the Lord alone.
Are you serving the Lord only for the Lord? If not, you will burn out. Love for the Lord is the only motivation which lasts. Thank the Lord when you get nothing out of serving Him but Him. This is our opportunity to love unconditionally as He loves us. This is our opportunity to be crucified with Jesus (Gal 2:19).
| PRAYER: | Father, I accept Your grace to forgive those who have hurt me unjustly. |
| PROMISE: | "The Son of Man...has come, not to be served by others, but to serve, to give His own life as a ransom for the many." –Mt 20:28 |
| PRAISE: | Praying the Stations of the Cross, Anna's own misery melted as she experienced Jesus' overwhelming sacrificial love for her. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College