Jeremiah 17:14
Standing Against Temptation
We are taught by these words that whenever stumbling-blocks come in our way, we ought to call on God with increasing passion and earnestness. For we all know our weakness; even when we don’t have to fight, our weakness does not allow us to stand uncorrupted. How then will we do when Satan assails our faith with his most cunning devices? Thus, while we now see all things in the world in a corrupted state, so that we are seduced by a thousand things from the true worship of God, let us learn by the example of the Prophet to hide ourselves under the wings of God and to pray that he may heal us; for we shall not only be apparently vicious, but many corruptions will immediately devour us, unless God himself brings us help. Hence the worse the world is, and the greater the licentiousness of sin, the more necessity there is for praying to God to keep us by his wonderful power, as if we were in the very regions of hell.
A general truth may be also gathered from this passage: that it is not in us to stand or to keep ourselves safe, so as to be preserved, but that this is the peculiar kindness of God. For if we had any power to preserve ourselves, to continue pure and unpolluted in the midst of corruption, no doubt Jeremiah would have been given such a gift. But he confesses that there is no hope of healing and of salvation, except through the special favor of God. For what else is healing but purity of life? It is as if Jeremiah had said, “O Lord, it is not in me to preserve that integrity that you require,” and hence he says, “Heal me, and I shall be healed.” And then, when he speaks of salvation, he no doubt means that it is not enough for the Lord to help us once or for a short time, unless the Lord continues to help us to the end. Therefore the beginning, as well as the whole progress of salvation, is here ascribed by Jeremiah to God.
Grant, Almighty God, that we may learn, whether in need or in abundance, to submit ourselves to you, so that it will be our only and perfect happiness to depend on you and to rest in that salvation (the experience of which you have already given us) until we shall reach that eternal rest where we shall enjoy it in all its fullness—having been made partakers of that glory which has been procured for us by the blood of your only-begotten Son. Amen.
Readings taken from Day by Day With John Calvin
Standing Against Temptation
We are taught by these words that whenever stumbling-blocks come in our way, we ought to call on God with increasing passion and earnestness. For we all know our weakness; even when we don’t have to fight, our weakness does not allow us to stand uncorrupted. How then will we do when Satan assails our faith with his most cunning devices? Thus, while we now see all things in the world in a corrupted state, so that we are seduced by a thousand things from the true worship of God, let us learn by the example of the Prophet to hide ourselves under the wings of God and to pray that he may heal us; for we shall not only be apparently vicious, but many corruptions will immediately devour us, unless God himself brings us help. Hence the worse the world is, and the greater the licentiousness of sin, the more necessity there is for praying to God to keep us by his wonderful power, as if we were in the very regions of hell.
A general truth may be also gathered from this passage: that it is not in us to stand or to keep ourselves safe, so as to be preserved, but that this is the peculiar kindness of God. For if we had any power to preserve ourselves, to continue pure and unpolluted in the midst of corruption, no doubt Jeremiah would have been given such a gift. But he confesses that there is no hope of healing and of salvation, except through the special favor of God. For what else is healing but purity of life? It is as if Jeremiah had said, “O Lord, it is not in me to preserve that integrity that you require,” and hence he says, “Heal me, and I shall be healed.” And then, when he speaks of salvation, he no doubt means that it is not enough for the Lord to help us once or for a short time, unless the Lord continues to help us to the end. Therefore the beginning, as well as the whole progress of salvation, is here ascribed by Jeremiah to God.
Grant, Almighty God, that we may learn, whether in need or in abundance, to submit ourselves to you, so that it will be our only and perfect happiness to depend on you and to rest in that salvation (the experience of which you have already given us) until we shall reach that eternal rest where we shall enjoy it in all its fullness—having been made partakers of that glory which has been procured for us by the blood of your only-begotten Son. Amen.
Readings taken from Day by Day With John Calvin
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