My own life is about art, authenticity and spirituality! So, i like it when people combine these-like Thomas Merton, Oswald Chambers, Henri Nouwenn, CS Lewis—people who were authentic artist and spiritual teachers. It says that we can truly be ourselves, and we can integrate our creativity with our spirituality, so that our expressions flow from who we really are. It’s based on Psalm 139 and Jeremiah’s calling. Both are celebrations of identity and how our calling are meant to match who we are—i.e. to be authentic. Both I am, and I do are meant to be true to themselves, authentic. I like it when the body of an artist work reflects the whole trajectory of their identity, even if it never fully arrives at itself.
Jeremiah had a ministry of authenticity! I relate to that. To be your true self does indeed bless others for it gives us permission to be, and have unique relationships with Our Source.
Today…
Considering, the role of the prophet when a nation is being judged; to warn, to call people back to their true selves (the ministry of authenticity!), to see what is happening and tell folks who and what one should ally with (true revealed discernment) etc. Jeremiah was allowed to stay free when the enemy came and took over. He had a unique position. Consider his role and times.
His nation was being overthrown because it would not repent, return and lean on its God for life and protection. It’s leaders were making false alliances. And then, even at the end, would not listen to The Voice. The city could’ve been spared. The women, not raped.
Then they get carried away in waves, given the choice,. Jeremiah stays with the poor remnant and ends up wandering down to Egypt but still leaving the symbol of having bought land, as a hopeful symbol for the whole nation that after many years the nation would be restored, and specifically, the priesthood (as Anathoth, his hometown, was a city of priest-this action symbolized a restoration of Jewish priesthood itself eventually; all the Jewish revivals started with a restoration of priestly activity (a recovery of reading and understanding the word, levitical stuff, the priestly precedes the procession or incarnation; symbol comes first, the artist move into a neighborhood first, then everyone sees it and moves there etc; in short artist are prophetic and move in a priestly role—Nehemiah’s time is an example), just as all Christian revivals start with the priestly activity of prayer! Nothing’s changed).
In Jeremiah’s day, there were people who recognized God’s true voice on both sides (that is people who were actually intimate with God, not just religion). And those who did not. Jeremiah was recognized by the enemy’s guard as knowing God’s voice. And even in Babylon people recognized God’s Voice in Jeremiah’s words, and Daniel, having read Jeremiah’s words, was able to work things out from within the system. All sorts of people listened to Jeremiah’s words-unexpected people. Still true.
Daniel and Jeremiah were in an interesting tandem. Daniel, who is not considered a prophet, but clearly moved prophetically, stayed true to God from within the government-different position, same type of spirituality. Jeremiah from outside it. Both were under a higher law, living in a time when things were being overturned which weren’t honoring God, and Jeremiah represent all He sees both in his life and art. And stays true to God. Good role model for these days.
These stories are lenses, filters through which to see-even our current situation.
Jeremiah is a great model with 40 years of service in tough times-he symbolized the way of the prophets in tumultuous times; and this, most autobiographical of the prophets, man’s life itself was a teaching or way. Intense figure, Jeremiah. My favorite of the Hebrew prophets! A bleeding heart, who actually quits his job at one point, then decides to return. Honest.
Even if you don’t read the bible, you gotta dig Jeremiah! Even just as a way. Plus there are lots of cool paintings of him, which makes sense.The ultimate misunderstood artist, who stays valid! Paul might be a close second in the New Testament. No one understood him on any side. Regardless, the bible has categories and ways of seeing Reality embedded in the lives of people and their stories. The lens of Jeremiah’s life and way is very useful in our days! I’m enjoying considering it today!