As someone who likes to write I’ve always been fascinated by Baruch, the man spoken of in Jeremiah 36, who was given the job of writing on a scroll every word of prophetic warning the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah to His people concerning their impending judgment. I’m intrigued by this faithful scribe Baruch, but there’s more to the story…
I can’t imagine how long it must have taken him, sitting at the feet of the prophet as he dictated every God-breathed word. Having finally completed this laborious task Baruch is then called upon to take this scroll and read it in the presence of these disobedient and rebellious people. When some of the hearers are struck with fear and take the scroll to be read to the king, the one with authority to call the people to repentance, he instead takes Baruch’s painstaking work and throws it into a burning fire! And then? God’s command to write comes once again; Jeremiah will dictate and Baruch will re-write every single word he had already written…with the addition of more yet.
Yes, I’m intrigued by this faithful scribe Baruch, the obedient, self-sacrificing servant whose gift to write was humbly offered to God for His use. He had a reason to write, and it appeared to me that Baruch had chosen the right reason. Ah…but things are not always as they appear.
Baruch is mentioned once again later in Jeremiah where a whole chapter is dedicated just to him. Is it a word of praise for a job well done? Hardly. In it God reads something Baruch has written…something he has written in the inner recesses of his heart. It addresses not the ‘apparent’ right reason, but possibly the real reason he writes. God speaks a motive-revealing word to Baruch saying,
“But you, are you seeking great things for yourself?”
You see, God had a reason to write.
“Take a scroll and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you… Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way; then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.” Jeremiah 36:2-3
Jeremiah had the same reason.
“So you go and read from the scroll which you have written at my dictation…Perhaps their supplication will come before the LORD, and everyone will turn from his evil way…” Jeremiah 36:6a, 7a
Their reason to write was for the sake of people.
Nevertheless, for a time anyway, Baruch had a different reason. He was not using his God-given gift for others. He was using it for himself. According to God Who knows the intents of the heart, Baruch was seeking greatness. What’s interesting is that our gifts might in fact bring us greatness, for God is not against our being great.
David became greater and greater, for the LORD God of hosts was with him. II Samuel 5:10
But if our gift to write or lead or ____ does bring us greatness, we must realize what it is for…who it is for.
And David realized that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom…for the sake of His people Israel. II Samuel 5:12
So, today as I think of this craft, this gift of writing, I take a sobering look at this oft-overlooked God encounter from the life of Baruch, someone called by God to write, and I ask myself the question,
“What is the reason I write?”
Linking up with Lisa Jo Baker’s Five Minute Friday for this week’s writing challenge. The prompt is ‘Write‘
Great post! As I read it, I couldn’t help but think of the mediums we have now in which to write; mainly, so technological. I wonder if my love and enjoyment of writing would have been the same if all I had were scrolls and an ink dish. I thought of how easily all our technical writings could disappear with a computer crash, thus being the same as losing all our writings in the fire. We would keep writing too. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Jane. Wow…what an interesting thought you present! I never considered this similarity. Excellent observation. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Wow – that Is a very sobering thought. It’s a great question to ask ourselves when we write. I’m visiting from FMF. You commented on my blog, Divine Ordinary at rosannebowman.com, so I had to come over and see YOUR sobering thought! 🙂
Thanks for coming by, Rosanne. It’s great to co-comment. 🙂
Hi Lisa,
I’m stopping by from FMF(thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog). 🙂 It is such a sobering thing to have God use our words or give us words to further His kingdom and it makes me so very cautious to make sure that I have taken the gift that He has gifted me with and use it for His glory and not my own. I love the story of Baruch. You remind me that we need to write for His glory alone!
blessings,
Gay Idle @CaptiveHeart
Glad to have you return the visit, Gay. Isn’t it fun to see how others see things? His body is so amazing. 🙂
What a powerful lesson! I’d not read the story of Baruch from this perspective before, and it’s a humbling reminder. I can see how far I have to go in learning and applying this in my own writing. As John the Baptist said, “He must become greater; I must become less.” It’s a daily (hourly!) battle, this dying to the self. Thank you for sharing these wise words, Lisa. You’ve given me much to think about.
I’m so glad you received something from this, Erin. I’m still pondering this question myself. Thanks very much for stopping by. It’s wonderful how we can encourage and challenge one another from the very same topic! It’s nice to meet you. 🙂
This is the first I’ve heard Baruch’s story! It must have gotten lost in my readings of Jeremiah… and so this, again, hits home in a way that (as others have mentioned) is quite sobering. I’ve wrestled OFTEN with asking God, “How can I really KNOW my true motives for writing?” I mean, I can examine myself only so much, and I think I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not sure I ever can trust that my motives are entirely pure. I’d like to say I write with no self-interest, but I know I can’t claim that kind of purity. Your words here are so wise, a caution to keep bringing our hearts before God with the gifts he’s given and ask him to glorify himself, even in spite of ourselves. Praying I would learn more and more how to just get out of the way.
I so appreciate your heart, Amber. “Ask him to glorify himself, even in spite of ourselves”…love that! So glad you caught a glimpse of Baruch. Isn’t God’s Word so rich? Layers and layers of new things to discover. Thanks so much for taking time to read here too. 🙂