Digging Trenches

Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent




Jeremiah 18:18-20

Heed me, O LORD, and listen to what my adversaries say.

Must good be repaid with evil

that they should dig a pit to take my life? Remember that I stood before you to speak in their behalf, to turn away your wrath from them.

Poor Jeremiah!  Here he's doing God's holy work.  (Remember he ate the angelic scroll!)  He encourages the people to repent and turn from their evil ways.  Yet, the people of Judah wish to destroy Jeremiah by monitoring his own spoken words. They hope he will say something to incriminate himself. Sounds like an example of a plan to throw Jeremiah under the bus.  Doesn't Jeremiah's situation sound similar to the Scribes and Pharisee plotting against Jesus during his public ministry?

All of us are monitored on a regular basis.  Not always through our words but through activity. Our credit cards and bank accounts are monitored for malicious activity.  Our places of employment are monitored for unauthorized activity and confidentiality.  Then our homes are monitored for burglars.  Even our cellular phones and internet activity are "monitored" for marketing purposes.  In our tech-savvy age, we can't get away from being watched by a person or a computer.  Unless we totally live off the grid, digging ourselves a trench in no-wheres-land, being "watched" is a fact of life. 

I feel like certain people are preparing a burial pit for me, just like Jeremiah, ready to whack me over the head with a big heavy shovel and toss me into a large hole in the ground.....

I'm experiencing a really horrible time at work.  Consistent mis-communication and downright lies are becoming an every day thing.  Today I found out:  No raise!  I was told I'd get one like all the other employees.  So, on top of job problems, I  continue to worry about increase cost of living.  The stress causes regular headaches, stomach pains, and an overall negative outlook on my circumstances.  Here it's Lent and I'm trying to get away from negativity but it's rearing it ugly head at me.  I have no gas mask to wear to prevent the poisonous vapors from depleting all of the oxygen!

I pray for a way out.  I pray for a change.  I'm tired of being stuck in a trench without an exit.  I feel like  a World War I soldier, fighting the enemy with bullets flying overhead!!

Let's just say a nice glass of wine will be poured this evening. After such a bad day, hopefully God won't be too disappointed with me.  I've tried to keep my chin up.  Let's just hope for more freezing rain and snow so I can stay home from work tomorrow....  

-J.