Today’s selected reading continues in the Old. Testament prophetic book of Jeremiah, and more specifically, begins with the fifteenth verse of the fifteenth chapter and continues through to the thirteenth verse of the sixteenth chapter. This particular passage of Scripture begins with Jeremiah in a very specific place, for within the opening verse we find Jeremiah in a place of suffering, in a place of oppression, in a place of trouble and turmoil. The fifteenth verse of this chapter opens up with Jeremiah making an emphatic and somewhat bold declaration. “O Lord, thou knowest.” Pause for a moment and consider the tremendous significance of such a declaration—the significance four words can make in the life of any who dare speak them. DO YOU DARE SPEAK SUCH WORDS? FOUR WORDS OF CONFIDENCE! FOUR WORDS OF STRENGTH! FOUR WORDS OF TRUST! FOUR WORDS OF FAITH! FOUR WORDS OF BOLDNESS! It would be incredibly easy to quickly move through this passage of Scripture and essentially miss the tremendous value of such a declaration. The prophet Jeremiah dared open his mouth and make a striking declaration—a declaration that countless men and women have a hard time declaring themselves. The prophet Jeremiah opened his mouth and emphatically declared concerning the Lord that He knew, and that He knows. THE LORD KNEW! THE LORD KNOWS! We dare not, we cannot, we should not, we must not miss the incredible weight and significance of these words, for these words form a bedrock of faith within our heart and within the very depths of our soul. These words bring us face to face with the faith that is present within our hearts and spirits. Consider from what place Jeremiah must have been in to make such a bold and emphatic declaration—the declaration that the Lord knows. Stop right now and speak those words out loud—audibly, loudly, boldly—whether in your own hearing, or in the hearing of others. Speak loudly and clearly and declare to the Lord that He knows. Speak loudly and clearly and declare of the Lord that He knows. The words of Jeremiah in this passage are words that were spoken not to those around him, but directly to the Lord of hosts. The prophet dared speak directly to the Lord and declare both to and of Him that He knows. When I read this passage of Scripture, I can’t help but ask myself what it is the Lord knows. When we speak such words in the hearing and in the presence of the Lord, what are we truly declaring and speaking unto Him? We speak such words, yet what significance do such words have within our own life as we speak them before Him and in His presence? FOUR WORDS OF CONFIDENCE! These four words were words of confidence, for Jeremiah declared in confidence the Lord knew—the Lord knew exactly what was happening. Jeremiah declared of the Lord that He knew which meant that He was not ignorant of that which was taking place within his life. There are countless times within our lives when there is an apparent disconnect between our trust and confidence in the reality that the Lord knows, and the Lord’s actual knowledge of what was and is taking place. Jeremiah dared speak these four words of confidence, these four words of strength, these four words of trust, these four words of belief in the hearing of the Lord. Jeremiah dared allow his faith, his trust, his confidence in the Lord to spark a tremendous fire within the depths of his heart and soul. Consider how many men and women have made such a declaration to others stating that they simply don’t know what they are going through. How many times have you yourself declared in the hearing and presence of others that they simply don’t know what you have been through. That single mother dares speak to others around her stating that they simply don’t know what she has gone through and what she is going through. That homeless man or woman on the street corner speaks out and declares to others that they simply don’t know what they have been through, or what they are presently going through. On this note, I have to admit that when I walk to work each day after getting off the train, I pass by a number of homeless men and women. I pass by countless men and women of various ages and backgrounds sleeping or sitting on the streets looking for something—anything—that will help them get through the day. I have to admit that most recently I was gripped with the thought of actually stopping and talking to these individuals. In stopping though, the main underlying reason for stopping is simply to ask for their story. I found myself wanting to stop by and ask this couple counting their change on the sidewalk what their story was and what brought them to the streets. What they experienced within the course of their life that had caused them to live among the streets of the city of Boston? If you stopped for a moment and asked each homeless man and/or woman you encountered on your way to talk, and if you asked them their story, what would you hear? What stories would you hear? STORIES FROM THE STREET! LETTERS FROM THE STREET!

 As I’m sitting here right now, I can’t help but think of an incredible thought that has just risen within the depths of my heart and spirit. LETTERS FROM THE STREETS! STORIES FROM THE STREETS! THE STREETS HAVE A VOICE! THE STREETS HAVE A NAME! THE STREETS HAVE A MESSAGE! It’s interesting that we navigate ourselves within and throughout a major city such as Boston by the names that appear on the countless streets signs. It is the name printed on each street sign that not only lets us know where we are, but also lets us know, and helps us get to where we are going. Street signs are necessary because they not only speak of the present, but they also speak of the future, for they speak of the journey we are on and the destination we attempt to arrive at. What if there was something different? What if it wasn’t the street signs that were actually speaking to us within a major city such as Boston? What if the true message within such a city is not the name of streets, but the names of those who live within and among those streets? In the Old Testament book of Genesis we find the Lord declaring to Cain that the blood of his brother was crying out from the ground unto Him. Such is an absolutely incredible thought when you consider that the shed blood of an individual could actually and did actually cry out in the hearing and in the presence of the Lord. WHEN THE STREETS CRY OUT! WHEN THE VOICE OF THE STREETS IS HEARD IN HEAVEN! Imagine walking the streets of such a city as Boston and actually taking the time to listen to the message of the streets. Imagine walking through the streets of the city and listening to the story the streets are telling you. How many have the courage and the boldness to enter the streets of such a city and to listen to the stories of the streets? How many men and women have the compassion to move to and fro within the streets of a city and look for the stories of those who live among the streets. There are countless national and international journalists and reporters who spend their lives and careers chasing stories, and perhaps even “the story.” There are countless journalists and reporters who spend their lives and their careers chasing after that one story that would radically alter and change their lives. KNOWING THE HOMELESS BY NAME! Imagine walking up and down the streets of a major city and instead of the numerous homeless men and women you pass by being just another cup shaking asking for money, or just another broken down cardboard box with someone sleeping on it, or just another pained, hopeless and needy face, such individuals actually had a name. THE HOMELESS HAVE A NAME TOO! THE HOMELESS HAVE A PLACE! THE HOMELESS ARE PEOPLE TOO!

 I’m sitting here right now and I can’t help but be gripped by the concept of a book that is simply the compilation of the stories which exist upon the streets of our cities. I am gripped by how often and how many times we move to and fro throughout the streets of such cities as Boston and never take the time to speak to those whom we pass by each and every day. I work in the city of Boston five days in the week, and twice a day I pass by various men and women who are presently homeless and have no place to call their own. If you do the math you will find that that’s ten times in a week that I pass by homeless men and women each and every week. If you take that number and multiply by fifty-two weeks, you will come up with the number five-hundred and twenty. FIVE-HUNDRED AND TWENTY TIMES IN A YEAR I WALK BY THE HOMELESS IN THE STREETS! Imagine what could happen if you stopped for a moment and spent fifteen or twenty minutes talking to the names and faces which exist within and Amon the streets of the city. I’m sitting here right now and I am struck by the thought of taking my lunch break—a period of time which ranges from thirty to forty-five minutes—and spending that time talking to those I encounter on the streets. What if during those forty-five minutes—instead of worrying about and concerning myself with my own needs—I took that time and fed as many people as I could. What if instead of using my lunch to satisfy my own needs and cravings, I took that time and worked to satisfy the needs of others. What if the next time I went grocery shopping, and the next time I spent time thinking about what I would have for lunch, I actually thought about what I could take and give to those out on the streets? What if my lunch breaks began being a time when I didn’t sit in the back room of a bank in downtown Boston, but actually went out among the streets of the city and started investing in people. Am I willing to sacrifice one meal a day knowing that I still have two other meals with which the Lord can sustain me? Am I willing to forfeit the comfort of my lunch break, and instead of working to fill my own stomach, I spent that time putting food in the stomachs of others? What if the next time I went grocery shopping I didn’t just go grocery shopping to shop for myself, but went shopping for the streets? SHOPPING FOR THE STREETS! SHOPPING FOR THE NAMES ON THE STREETS! SHOPPING FOR THE FACES ON THE STREETS!

 What brought me to Boston was actually a job which began south in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was there in the streets of Philadelphia when I first encountered the number of homeless men and women who lived among the streets of the city. I remember getting off the train certain mornings and as I walked to the branch location, I would pass by a number of homeless men and women who spent their days, and perhaps even their nights living among the streets of that city. I fully recognize that this particular passage in the prophetic book of Jeremiah seems to have absolutely nothing to do with the names and faces upon the streets, yet I am convinced there is a powerful prophetic word and message that is contained in the four words—“O LORD, THOU KNOWEST!” MOVING AMONG THE FORGOTTEN PEOPLE! MOVING AMONG AN IGNORED PEOPLE! MOVING AMONG A DESPISED PEOPLE! MOVING AMONG A REJECTED PEOPLE! I am reminded of the words of James at the end of the first chapter in the epistle he wrote concerning man’s religion—“IF any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless, and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:26-27). I’m sitting here right now and I am finding myself asking this very pointed question—If the streets could talk, what is it they would say? If we could hear the voice, the cry, the message, the story of the streets, what would we hear? Are we even willing to take the time to stop and listen, to stop and pay attention to such a message which is being spoken each and every day? It’s worth noting that this message is spoken each and every day regardless of whether or not we take the time to hear it. THE LORD HEARS THE MESSAGE OF THE STREETS! THE LORD HEARS THE STORIES OF THE STREETS! THE LORD KNOWS THE STORY OF THE STREETS! THE LORD SEES THE NAMES AND FACES OF THE STREETS! What if instead of navigating ourselves around such cities as Boston by the names on street signs, we navigated around using the names associated with faces. Today we’re passing by Jim’s corner. Beyond Jim’s corner is Sally’s stoop. Further on Howard’s sidewalk. Pause for a moment and consider such a reality. Consider the thought of navigating yourself around and within such a city as Boston by the names and faces you encounter and meet rather than the names printed on green rectangular signs. IGNORING THE NAMES OF FACES FOR THE NAMES ON SIGNS! We spend so much time focusing on the printed names on green signs that we completely neglect, reject, and even ignore the names of those who live among and live upon those streets.

 Even this morning I heard a woman in the barber shop make a comment concerning this giraffe which finally gave birth to the baby it was carrying inside it. For weeks a lot of media attention has been focused on this giraffe and the day and moment that would come when this giraffe would give birth to the life that was inside of her. Imagine what would happen if instead of spending our day and time focusing on a giraffe giving birth to another life, we spent our day and time focusing on the names and faces that exist upon the streets of our cities. I cannot escape and shake the thought and reality that the streets have stories, and the streets have a message they are telling. What would happen if we actually took time to listen to the message the streets were speaking? What would happen if we spent our time seeking to listen to the stories that exist within the streets of our cities? Do you have the courage it requires to stop yourself amidst the streets of Boston and get to know those who spend their days and nights living among the streets? Do you have the boldness to actually stop and spend time talking to such individuals—even while you are wearing a shirt and tie, or dress which is required for your job? The Lord knows those who are His, and the Lord knows each and every man and women who spends their days and nights living among and living upon the streets of our cities. TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THE STREETS! Oh, who among us is willing to take ownership of the streets of our cities? Who among us is willing to take ownership of the streets of our cities and the stories which exist within and upon those streets? LISTENING TO THE STORIES OF THE STREETS! FEEDING THE BODIES ON THE STREETS! I have to admit that I am incredibly challenged by the thought of taking the thirty or forty-five minutes of my lunch break and actually walking among the streets of the city and spending time listening to the stories of the streets. I am trying to picture what it would be like to—instead of walking the streets of the city with headphones over my ears so I drown out the noises of the streets—actually talk to those individuals I meet and encounter on the streets. One thing I’ve learned by working in two major cities is that there are countless men and women who walk the streets of these cities with headphones in their ears and one singular focus—getting to where they need to go, and get there as quickly as possible. How many men and women who work in downtown Boston are completely oblivious to that which is right before their faces each and every day? What would happen if we worked in a city such as Boston Monday through Friday, yet instead of taking Saturday off, we actually went back down to the streets we have walked the previous five days and actually fed those in need? What would happen if we spent time getting to know the names and faces of the streets and didn’t just spend our time focusing on the inanimate names of the streets?

 STREETS ARE MORE THAN JUST SIGNS! Countless men and women treat the streets of such a city as Boston as nothing more than avenues and a path to get them to where they are going. I am wonderfully and powerfully gripped by the reality that streets are more than just signs, and that streets are more than the buildings which have been built upon them. Streets are more than just the buildings which have been built upon them which exist to produce revenue, growth and sales. The streets I walk each and every day are about more than just the various businesses that exist upon the different street corners. WHEN STREETS ARE KNOWN BY NAMES! WHEN STREETS ARE KNOWN BYH FACES! Pause for a moment and think about the concept of an address—the concept that an address is about more than just a geographical location, but is directly connected to the names and faces of those who live at that address. An address is about one thing and one thing only—serving as confirmation that either an individual or family lives there, or a business or company operates there. LOCATING THE ADDRESSES OF THE HOMELESS! LOCATING THE ADDRESSES OF THE ORPHANS! LOCATING THE ADDRESS OF THE WIDOWS! LOCATING THE ADDRESSES OF NAMES AND FACES! How many unknown addresses do I pass by each and every day—addresses that are often ignored and neglected because there isn’t a white picket fence outside, or a number and/or name printed on a mailbox, or a car in the driveway? We are called to locate the address of need and not just enjoy the address of comfort and security. LEAVING THE ADDRESSES OF COMFORT FOR THE ADDRESSES OF NEED! LEAVING THE ADDRESSES OF SECURITY FOR THE ADDRESSES OF POVERTY! LEAVING THE ADDRESSES OF SHELTER FOR THE ADDRESSES OF HOPELESSNESS! How many of us spend so much time and effort concerning ourselves with, and worrying about our own addresses that we completely neglect and ignore the addresses that often times go unnoticed? What would happen if we started paying attention to the addresses that don’t have the name of a street, but the name of one in need? I remember writing a devotional a few years ago entitled “Leaving the Pews of the Church for the Wells of Samaria.” The entire premise of that writing was that we have been called beyond the pews of our churches, and have been called to the wells of Samaria—to those places which are marginalized, despised, neglected, rejected and ignored by others. Many of us have grown so comfortable in the pews of our churches and even the couches of our homes that we miss the wells of Samaria. What a tremendous tragedy this is, and one that needs to be remedied in this generation.  

 Jeremiah made the bold and emphatic declaration that the Lord knows, and this is a reality we must readily acknowledge with everything that is within us. The Lord knows exactly what we are going through, and the Lord knows exactly where we are. I am reminded of the words which are recorded in the final portion of the second chapter of the book of Exodus: “And it came to pass in the process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them” (Exodus 2:23-24). This reality is further confirmed in the encounter Moses had with the Lord, for the Lord actually revealed this reality directly to Moses in his hearing. “…God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: pout off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover He said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmaster; for I know their sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:4-8). Now, it would be one thing for the second chapter of the book of Exodus to simply end with the declaration that the cry of the children of Israel came up unto God, and that He heard their groaning. It would have been one thing if the second chapter ended with the reality that the Lord remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, and with the Lord looking upon the children of Israel, and having respect unto them. What happened when we came to the third chapter? The Lord did indeed hear their cry, and the Lord did indeed look upon their bondage, and the Lord raised up another to come among them as tangible proof and evidence that He not only heard their cry, not only looked upon their bondage, but was also willing to do something about it. The underlying principle is that the Lord is looking for men and women whom He can send into the midst of the cries of others, and into the midst of the bondage of others in order to demonstrate and reveal the powerful reality that He not only hears, He not only looks upon, but He is also willing to act.

 Are you willing to be one whom the Lord raises up and sends into the midst of the bondage of others in order that the reality of the Lord’s concern and compassion might be demonstrated and manifested? When Moses returned to and came into the land of Egypt, he first came unto the elders of Israel and declared unto them that which the Lord had spoken. It wasn’t until after this, and after their bondage and oppression increased that Moses would then go directly unto Pharaoh king of Egypt and declare unto him, saying, “Let my people go!” Moses was first sent to the children and elders of Israel, then was sent to Pharaoh, and only after those two had been completed did the Lord begin to act on behalf of the children of Israel. It’s worth noting that the Lord didn’t lead with the ten plagues which struck the land of Egypt, nor did He lead with the tenth plague, which was the death of every firstborn male in the land of Egypt. The Lord led with an eighty year old man coming unto the elders of Israel and speaking to them first—speaking to them concerning the encounter at the burning bush. THE LORD NEVER LEADS WITH THE PLAGUES! THE LORD NEVER LEADS WITH THE TENTH PLAGUE! The work which the Lord was about to do began at a burning bush in the wilderness with one man who was tending his father-in-laws sheep. Oh that the Lord would raise up burning bush experiences and would begin speaking to men in the burning bushes of their homes in order that He might send them to confirm that He does indeed hear, and He does indeed see the plight, the bondage, and the oppression others are going through. Oh that we would recognize and understand that which the Lord of hosts desires to do, and that we would emphatically declare that the Lord knows. The Lord not only knows, but the Lord also sees and hears, and is willing to rise up and act. The Lord is aware of the stories which exist upon the streets of our cities, and even the stories which exist within our homes. There is a call for those who have ears to hear what the Spirit is speaking to the churches, but there is also a call for us to hear the stories of the streets. The streets are crying out in these Last Days, and the Lord is looking for burning bush encounters where He can speak to men and women and send them into the streets—into the midst of the stories and everything that is crying out unto Him. “ALSO I HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD, SAYING, WHOM SHALL I SEND, AND WHO WILL GO FOR US? THEN SAID I, HERE AM I; SEND ME” (Isaiah 6:8).