"Then I said, 'Ah, Lord GOD! Surely You have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You will have peace’; whereas a sword touches the throat.' ... My soul, my soul! I am in anguish! Oh, my heart! My heart is pounding in me; I cannot be silent, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war" (Jer 4:10, 19).
I often hear believers discussing Israel and last-day events as if they are financial advisors discussing pension options with their clients. Although they are fully aware of all the financial risks and challenges of their clients, they maintain a distant professionalism and display no emotion. Sorry to say, Jeremiah would have made a terrible financial advisor. He was far too emotionally involved with his "clients." No doubt, Jeremiah was certain that everything would turn out well for Israel in the end (Jer 17:11), but he also suffered from heart palpitations as he considered the difficulties Israel would need to experience on their way to this better future.
The church is in desperate need of theologians and pastors who are more emotionally and physically involved with the warnings, prophecies, and promises of God's word. While I'm not calling for emotionalism and drama, and I am well aware that all of us have very different personalities, I truly believe that the preaching and the teaching of God's word would be received more if preachers and teachers were to find themselves more emotionally and physically involved with the message of God's word. And while we're at it, I want to ask God to forgive us for reading the book of Revelation without the shedding of any tears!