Just for the sake of illustration, let’s think of the soul as piece of intricate machinery. Nearly all machines require service – anything from yearly to daily maintenance. Your body as another example; it requires maintenance – a lot of it must be done every day. It needs to be refueled several times a day; it needs to be scrubbed, rested, exercised, and so on. And so does your soul.
In the text before us, Jeremiah’s soul had been being worked very hard for many months. And the truth is, it was almost worn out; it was in bad need of repair, rejuvenation. Some souls are worked harder than others and, as a result, show a bit more wear. In fact, perhaps the better the soul, the more wear and tear it has to endure. Jeremiah’s soul squeaked, groaned and rattled more than nearly any soul in the country. So he pulled it in to his dealer’s authorized service garage.
He opened the door and walked up, re-introducing himself to the Service Manager.
Above the man’s desk there was a plaque which read: “Service Manager: Mr. O Lord.” He was the Manager – the boss. During the years that I worked at the mall, we had a couple of changes in management. I remember that on one occasion we had a new supervisor. And in the departmental meeting one Friday morning, he introduced himself. “I am your new boss. If you have any problems, they are my problems too. It doesn’t matter what kind of problem; if it has anything to do with this job, come see me.” The first words of verse 15 carry the idea that Jeremiah looked to the Lord same way.
It is a mistake to take the servant’s soul anywhere but to the Master for service. Don’t take it to Dr. Phil or Dr. Oz, because their experience is only in pets, stones and weeds. Don’t take your soul to your friend, because despite meaning well, he probably can’t help very much. Take it fishing if you like, but make sure your fishing partner is the Lord – and not on the Lord’s Day. It doesn’t matter what ails you; go to the Lord. Nobody knows the equipment any better than He does. Nobody else has ever had more than six thousand years of service experience in souls. He has built them from the ground up, out of nothing. And he’s taken ones that were complete junk, and rebuilt them.
Jeremiah said, “O Lord, thou knowest me.” That Old Testament preacher had been striving with Israel for perhaps a quarter century. Some people had been hearing him for most of their lives. But the only one Who really knew Jeremiah was the Lord. “Remember me Lord.” We could say that Mr. O Lord has, in His computer, a record of all the earlier maintenance. But in this case,“Remember me,” means: “Lord, think on me.” In fact, it means “Think on me for good.”
Do you recall the man on Calvary to the right of the Saviour? As he hung there suffering that excruciating pain… Knowing that it was only a dying ember of pain compared to what loomed ahead… The man cried out to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” Was the man asking Jesus to remember fondly that they suffered and died together? Don’t be silly. He was saying, “Think on me for good, Lord.” He was saying, “Be merciful unto me a sinner.”
Jeremiah said, “Lord, remember me, and Lord visit me.” That is, “Lord, I know that you have bigger, prettier and more expensive models to work on here. But Lord, I need your service this evening, else I die. Repair me, Lord, as you see my need to be. Put me on your scope, your computer, your light meter, and take your wrench to me.”
Then Jeremiah went on, in a most unpleasant fashion: “Revenge me of my persecutors.” “Lord visit me for good, but don’t forget to visit those who have caused me all this pain.” I don’t justify or ask that you repeat Jeremiah’s prayer for judgment on the wicked. Generally speaking, I don’t believe that this is something for which we should pray. But remember that Jeremiah was acting as God’s prophet in these verses. This is not just the record of Jeremiah’s personal devotions. This was the man of God, expressing, not only his own heart, but the heart of Jehovah as well. This prayer here is very much like David’s in some of the Psalms. These are prophetical words far more than they are a desire for personal revenge. I would say that it was not sin for Jeremiah to wish such things on those who hated him, because they had a prophetical nature to them. But I would say you, to avoid such thoughts of revenge; because 98% of the time we cannot think them or pray in this way without sin. You are not a prophet. Simple revenge is not pleasing to God.
Jeremiah has brought his soul into Jehovah’s shop for repair and maintenance.
Then he described what he thought was the condition of that battered soul.
I took my car into the Hyundai shop a month ago, and I told the service manager that I had a problem. He asked me what I thought it was, and I told him – “My wife thinks that the air conditioner doesn’t work.” “Here are my problems as I perceive them Lord.” When I go to the doctor there is a good reason; I don’t go for fun or to waste my time. “Why are you here?” “Well, I nearly ripped off my least favorite mole, and I’d like you to finish the job.” “Why are you here?” “I believe that I have shingles and I’d like you to confirm it.” Judy and I had a doctor in New Mexico, who didn’t mind hearing that we were in pain, but he didn’t want us telling him what we thought was the cause. “Think that I have appendicitis.” “Keep your opinions to yourself. I’ll tell you if you have appendicitis.”
When someone is in pain, is it always possible to see it? You might look at Jeremiah and say that he looked to be in top shape. For a time, there wasn’t any physical abuse of the prophet; no open wounds and blood; no tangible scars. But, only the owner and Service Manager can see the scars on a man’s soul. Jeremiah’s complaints were not being brought to Josiah or to the average man on the street. Jeremiah was “casting his care upon the Lord,” for He is the only one who really cared for his soul.
And by the way, this perpetual, incurable pain was naturally inexplicable. Jeremiah, tried his best to take good care of himself, including his soul. “I sat not in the assembly of the mockers.” It appears that Psalm 1 was on Jeremiah’s mind. Perhaps that was a part of his personal devotion time that morning. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doeth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever doeth prosper.” Jeremiah said, “Lord, I sat not with the ungodly nor walked with the mockers. So why is my soul cast down, within me? Why do I suffer such pain? Why aren’t I like a tree planted by the rivers of water? Where is my fruit in due season? Lord, you know that I’ve been a separatist, kicking everyone out my life who didn’t agree with me. Why do I hurt so much; why am I so lonely; why does everyone hate me so?”
As he described the condition of his abused and mangled soul, a terrible thing developed. He began to wonder if his Service Manager could do anything about it. He began to wonder if He cared. “Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?”
But he need not have worried. When the Lord says, “I want to know where it hurts,” He really does want to hear you express it. “Be honest, Jeremiah, do you really think that your problems lay in me? Tell me if you think so.” So Jeremiah did exactly that. “It doesn’t look like you are keeping all of your promises, Lord. You are not a liar are you, God?” No, the Lord is not a liar.
In this case, what was the service recommendation?
First, find God’s words. “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” Every real child of God; every true servant of the Lord has a Bible – or at least he should. Jeremiah had a copy of that Book which was found in the Temple in days Josiah. The first thing Jeremiah did, was to find his copy of the owner’s manual.
But simply owning God’s Word is different from what this verse is talking about. The Word “find” implies a search. A person can come to church, and hear a thousand sermons, but never find God’s Word. They can even read the Bible at the breakfast table and not find a single Word of God. The need of the Christian who is striving to get beyond mediocrity is to “Search the Scriptures.” Our need is to come to God’s house, yearning for more of God’s Word. “Speak to me Lord, my soul is in perpetual pain and my wound is incurable.” “Oh, how I love thy word….” “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” “I have esteemed the words of God’s mouth more than my necessary food.”
By the way, God’s word is God’s word whether we find it and eat it – or not. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but not one jot or tittle of God’s word. It will all be fulfilled. And, there are lots of books in this world. Many are filled with arsenic and strychnine. Forgetting about the evil and sinful books; there are still many others. Some of them are candy books, nothing evil in them, but nothing nutritious either. Then some of them are fluff books, and some are filling books. Among the non-evil books, some are a lot better than others. But the Bible is a book of fabulous meals, one right after another. They are the fuel of the soul; from it our soul can glean all the building blocks of life.
The Service Master recommends – find God’s Word and devour it. The Word of the Lord is not a lucky charm to be hung around one’s neck. Nor is it little sample of candy or a tidbit that they give you in Costco. If you are looking for soul repair, then it’s time for big bites of the Bible.
What happens, nine times out of ten, when a baby picks something up? It doesn’t matter what it is, it is popped into that child’s mouth. Few things are as close in their relationships as mouth and taste. Sometimes food can look just wonderful. But those wonderful pictures and plastic fruit, aren’t necessarily very tasty. The tongue brings that beautiful vision of food home to the heart and waist-line. When something is eaten, if it is compatible with the body, it becomes part of that body.
God’s Word is what your soul needs, Jeremiah. Don’t be like the butterfly in garden, lighting on every flower, but only sipping for a second. Be like the bee, getting in there and rooting out the good stuff. Even getting a little dirty in the process is all right. That word is what you need Jeremiah, because it is source of soulish repair. The word of God is the source of the joy which you need to keep going. “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” Joy? In what way? Rejoicing because once you have it, other people will want it too? No. Rejoicing because you’ll have something to share with the people of Judah? No. You will rejoice Jeremiah, because it will taste good TO YOU. You will rejoice because it will nourish YOU, and meet YOUR needs. You will rejoice because it will console you.
What does the saint of God need to keep him going? Prayer, the Word and the face of the Lord. Unlike the local car dealership, if your soul needs service, there is no appointment necessary. Just pull on in and tell the Service Manager what the problem is. And I guarantee that He will be able to fix it – if you are willing to pay the price.