YOU Duped Me, O LORD!

"YAHWEH, YOU have seduced me

and I let myself be seduced.

YOU have taken me by force and prevailed.

I have become a laughingstock all day long;

they all make fun of me,

for every time I speak

I have to shout, 'Violence!  Devastation!'

YAHWEH's word has brought me

insult and derision all day long.

So I decided to forget about HIM

and speak no more in HIS name.

But HIS word in my heart becomes like a fire

burning deep within my bones.

I try so hard to hold it in,

but I cannot do it."

- Jeremiah 20:7-9

(This "confession" recalls the one in Chapter 15.  The Bearer of the Truth is rejected and mocked simply because he speaks by virtue of a personal mission which the people do not accept.  Let us not forget that Jeremiah lived six centuries before JESUS, long before there was any thought of the beyond, so we will have a better understanding of why he cries for divine justice.

YOU have taken me by force: is there anything more understandable if GOD is Love?

But HIS word is like a fire in my bones.  What is really amazing is the irresistible power of GOD's word.  It is more difficult to resist it than to face human opposition.  Paul will declare, in a fairly similar way, that he cannot evade the responsibility of preaching the Gospel [1 Corinthians 9:16].  This text forces us to revise and deepen the very simplistic ideas we have concerning our freedom: being faithful to the most demanding mission is also to be free.)

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