God’s Covenant with David
Open Your Bible
Jeremiah 33:1-26, Jeremiah 34:1-22, Psalm 107:19-22, Romans 8:16-17
BY Bailey Gillespie
Kids have an uncanny knack for extending their bedtime routine way longer than it needs to last. They try delaying the inevitable by distracting you with all manner of things, like missing pajamas, a long-winded yarn about a sibling, or a third reading of Goodnight, Moon. Unless your kid is one of those miracle children who quickly settles into sleep, as soon as you turn off the lights and shut the door, you hear it: the call of distress.
Sometimes you answer right away. Sometimes you don’t (especially if you know the routine like the back of your hand). Eventually, you may have to let the child’s cries for one more story go unmet for the evening, even when your heart moves with the desire to give in because, at the end of the day, you can only read Goodnight, Moon so many times.
But God always wants us to call out to Him in our distress. We see this after the word of the Lord comes to Jeremiah a second time and God says, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:1,3). Our cries for help are really opportunities for connection with Him, for sharing great and incomprehensible things with us. As with Jeremiah, these “things” aren’t self-evident based on our experience, but given to us as insight and revelation that comes from a life of walking with God. They come from a life of crying out to Him and waiting for Him to answer. Early on in life, Jeremiah received a crash course in this practice, one that was necessary in order to follow in the steps God had prepared for his life.
The Book of Psalms also features this theme prominently. “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; he saved them from their distress” (Psalm 107:19). This call and response pattern repeats itself in beautiful depictions of God saving people from places of despondency caused by internal or external circumstances, and sometimes, both. Again and again, we hear God answering them when the time is right and with just the right antidote.
God urges us to cry out for help, like a child. We are His children, after all, and we don’t exist outside of His provision no matter how autonomous we may feel. Just like the familiar pages of a well-loved storybook, God longs to comfort us in our distress (Isaiah 30:18). Just as a parent answers a child in their distress because they hate the darkness, God wants to answer us in ours, to meet us in our need. His response to our affliction, and His timing, may look as different as the affliction itself, but He never leaves us in our distress.
58 thoughts on "God’s Covenant with David"
-
Jen Brewer, your post reminded me of the days when my boys were preschoolers. The house we were in had a dormer in our bedroom that jutted out. I put a small desk in the area. It was an old house, and there wasn’t any electricity near that area so I used an old fashioned oil lamp to see. Every morning I would meet with the Lord to pray and read my Bible, by the light of that oil lamp. Every morning while reading my boys would wake. I would either go get them or they would toddle into my room. I would cuddle and love on them for a little and then tuck them into our “big” double bed. They would go back to sleep, cuddled in mommy’s bed, while I met with Jesus. What a precious time. I’m so glad for you. I’m so thankful for all the godly mommies out their who are meeting with Jesus and whose children are blessed because of it.
I am so in awe of God for His love throughout my lifetime. I cannot begin to thank Him enough. I am overcome with His mercy, grace, and love. There are so many times, all day long where He loves on me and gives me comfort. This morning it might be the reminder of His faithful presence and provision when my sons were little. It might be when I am not feeling well, and thinking…could this be that horrible virus…could I have exposed my grandchildren…fear starts to come near and then I walk by my calendar and see it needs flipped for the day. The attribute of God for that day is our “physician.” And I lay fear down because God has affirmed once again that He is trustworthy.
The list of God sightings on my God hunt season of Lent is only measured by how open my heart and eyes are to see Him.
Open our eyes Lord. Let us see You. May we call to You and know great and incomprehensible things according to Your will and Your plan. And then, may our words, hands, and feet, be directed by You to obey every moment, every day, with all our hearts, Yours forever. Amen.-
That is a really beautiful insight into your walk with the Lord and the comfort He provides. I have two small children now and can relate to early bible times with the Lord and the beautiful waking of our children. Isn’t it peaceful? Blessings and thank you for sharing.
-
Thank you for your beautiful words, Angie! The Lord used your words to speak directly to my heart this morning.
-
Angie, you’ve expressed yourself so beautifully, & I agree with you in prayer!
-
Yes yes yes, Angie. Thanks for sharing this beautiful precious memory and your wisdom, love for Jesus and encouragement to keep seeking Him.❤️
-
-
10“Thus says the Lord: In this place of which you say, ‘It is a waste without man or beast,’ in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man or inhabitant or beast, there shall be heard again 11the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord:
“‘Give thanks to the Lord of hosts,
for the Lord is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!’This part really stood out to me today. I feel like we’re living in these desolate times. But God’s promise holds true, the voice of gladness will be heard again. His love endures forever.
-
Sending love , Light, and prayer out to you in these seemingly long and sometimes dark days ~ finding the words here to be so timely but uplifting – in all of this swirl of unknown ness and navigating each day it’s comforting to find that we are not alone and will never be alone even in the deepest waters-
-
My two year old son cried out for me as I was halfway through reading the in Word this morning (my second day in a row rising a little early to have time in the Word before my little guy rises rather than during his midday nap—feels like such a victory in the midst of being 6 months pregnant and potty training him since he usually rises early!). Anyways, it was just such a beautiful picture as I held him in the dark, met his needs and tucked in back in to bed that related with Bailey’s words of reminding us that God always responds to us when we cry out to him. Thank you for being our ever faithful, good Father. And thank you sisters for your encouragement and insights from around the world. Grace and peace and hope ❤️☕️❤️
-
What a privilege it is to be able to call out to him knowing that he will hear, listen, and respond!
-
Yes, thank You for Your Word God! I am thankful nothing is too hard for you! Let’s make this our prayer, all: Psalm 107:19–22
CSB
19 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
he saved them from their distress.o
20 He sent his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the Pit.p
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord
for his faithful love
and his wondrous works for all humanity.q
22 Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving
and announce his works with shouts of joy.r -
What an encouraging text in these times! Thank God we can call out to him and He will answer.
The part in Jeremiah where he says that empty streets will be filled with life again, especially resonated with me. Here in Germany streets are empty already, but this will not be the end! God will see us through. -
These days in Turkey we are seeing the church gather together more (in creative ways) for prayer. God is still on the throne and he is still hearing the voice of his children, just as he did in Jeremiah’s day. This encourages me to rejoice that God is at work in the church to strengthen it, and to keep calling out to him.
-
Praying for you and the brothers and sisters in Turkey
-
Thanks!
-
-
Post Comments (58)