“Grandpa, I can’t see why Jessica doesn’t talk to me anymore,” Alice said. “Her dad doesn’t believe in God, and he didn’t like us learning Bible verses together, but….”

Grandpa smiled sadly. “It has happened before. Shall I tell you a story? It is called

The Weeping Prophet

(Reference: Jeremiah.)

Jeremiah was a boy when King Josiah reigned in Jerusalem. His father was a priest and taught him to pray to God and obey when he was little. At first life was happy for Jeremiah. King Josiah was a good king who wanted to do right and obey God, too. But the people had been turning away from God for a long time, and God was not pleased.

One day the Lord told Jeremiah, “I have chosen you to be my prophet.”

Jeremiah was surprised and said, “Lord God, I can’t speak to people. I’m just a child.”

But the Lord only said, “I have words for you to say. Be not afraid of the people, for I will be with you to take care of you.”

God did have words for Jeremiah to say to the people. “You have turned away from God and lived very wickedly,” Jeremiah said. “The Lord is very displeased and He will send judgment upon you.” The men were thinking about their money and business. They didn’t want to listen. The women liked their pearls and beautiful idols, and ignored him. The children laughed and called him silly. They ran off to their selfishness and cheating and lying. Jeremiah was left alone.

Even if the people turned away, God was still there. Again and again He sent messages to the people. Perhaps Jeremiah got tired of seeing their glaring eyes and hearing their mean words. But he obeyed God and kept on doing right. Many times he wept and cried to think how his people were heading for trouble.

“Only admit your wrongs against God and turn back to Him,” he pled, over and over. Soon he didn’t have many friends, but a crowd of enemies.

A new king that didn’t love God was ruling now. “The Babylonians are coming and the city will be captured,” Jeremiah warned. The rulers didn’t want to hear that. They put Jeremiah in a dark dungeon with black sticky mire. But God took care of him there and sent someone to get him out. And God’s word was true: the city was surrounded and captured. The men and women were bound as prisoners and the beautiful city was ruined.

It must have broken Jeremiah’s heart to see the judgment come! But God gave him a promise: “The day will come when the captivity will return again and I will bring them back. And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.” Even though he never lived to see that day, Jeremiah trusted and obeyed his God.

“That is a sad story,” said Alice thoughtfully. “It must have been hard when no one listened.”

“Yes, that is a sad thing,” agreed Grandpa. “God loves people, but He never makes them listen and obey. He gives us each a choice.”

“What kind of choice?” Edward had heard only the end of the story. “It seemed like God just punished them and let them get captured.”

“He warned them and pled with them to change for a long time first,” said Grandpa.

“I would have listened if God warned me,” Edward said. “I would have—”

“What about now?” interrupted Grandpa with a smile. “Doesn’t God still warn us now?”

“I guess so—in the Bible,” Edward said slowly.

“And our conscience,” added Alice. “Maybe that’s why Jessica’s dad doesn’t let her come. His conscience is probably bothering him.”

Grandpa smiled. “Remember, we each have choices whether to listen or not. Jeremiah could have quit, too, but he knew it was worth much more to please God than to have others like him.”