Jeremiah Stays in Judah
Open Your Bible
Jeremiah 39:1-18, Jeremiah 40:1-16, Jeremiah 41:1-18, 2 Chronicles 36:15-16, Romans 6:23
BY Erin Davis
Suffering has a way of shoving cotton in my ears. When the going gets tough, I have a bad habit of convincing myself that God has stopped speaking altogether. At times, I find myself squashed by my perception that the Spirit has simply gone silent on me.
But then I read the words of Jeremiah, the prophet who spent his days weeping (with good cause) over God’s people and their disobedience, and I am reminded that God is hardly indifferent to us, our sin, or our suffering. Within today’s reading alone, just three little chapters of Jeremiah’s story, we find that his city of Jerusalem besieged as pagan officials laid in wait to accost his neighbors. The king fled and was captured… and then had his eyes gouged out. The sons and nobles of Jeremiah’s homeland were then slaughtered, and his countrymen were carried away into exile. And the cisterns that were meant to hold water were instead filled with the bodies of those who were slain (Jeremiah 39–40). Keep in mind: that’s just three chapters.
Jeremiah himself was left to live as a prisoner among the most destitute of his brethren. This single snapshot of Jeremiah’s story contains more heartache than you and I will likely ever know. Yet it was at that moment that “the word of the LORD had come to Jeremiah when he was confined in the guard’s courtyard” (Jeremiah 39:15). The sound of God’s voice speaking in Jeremiah’s darkest moment unstops my ears and reminds me that the things of this world, even the political upheaval of leaders, cannot squelch the word of the Lord; His plans will succeed. Suffering, imprisonment, and sorrows—none of these are a match for God’s power and goodness. There is no prison that can lock out God’s voice, nor is there a ruler who can censor Him.
With every form of comfort stripped from Jeremiah, what a balm God’s presence and voice must have been! The Book of Jeremiah is proof that there is nothing God’s children cannot endure as long as the Lord is still speaking. On every peak and in every valley, in times of plenty and in times of want, whether everything is coming up roses, or all we see is darkness—if we listen for the voice of our Shepherd, we will find that He is still speaking. He is not indifferent but engaged. God Himself is still wooing, always calling His children back to Him.
59 thoughts on "Jeremiah Stays in Judah"
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Thank you Dorothy, for thinking of me and praying for me and mine. Finley has been on my list though now I can put a name to “the little girl Dorothy cares for.” My husband and I are following stricter quarantine measures on the advice of an infectious disease doctor since I am immunosuppressed and my husband is a practicing physician. It is difficult but there are many who are struggling far more. What an opportunity to care for one another simply by keeping our physical distance and yet what an opportunity to care for one another intimately in heartfelt prayer. We also just found out our granddaughter’s procedure /treatment has been moved up to June 12 which is better than the August date. Answer to the prayers of many on her behalf. AND our younger daughter and her husband moved into their new home in Alabama yesterday so they are getting settled. They will self quarantine as a precaution. They are blessed to have friends in the area. Another answer to prayer. God is good. He was good before our granddaughter’s procedure was postponed and he was good before our daughter and son in law got moved. He’s always good. He sees the bigger picture. He has the best plan. No better prayer than “Thy will be done.” No better place to be than in the center of His will. Bless you Dorothy and all my SRT friends. How you bless me!
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I loved this one.
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I love to know that God isn’t indifferent to our sufferings and that our circumstances, no matter how dire, can’t stop God from speaking to us. God’s will, will prevail no matter what the enemy throws our way.
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Kristen I agree.
Amen Tina, Tricia Cavanaugh, Sue, Wendy Picariello, Heidi, Maura, Laura, Jenna, and Angelica Ging.
Churchmouse I know how I would answer many of those questions, thank you for making me think and realize I need to trust more in the Lord.
Rebekah C. you have got me thinking and thanking you for that.
Wow Angie I love what you said.
Courtney and Bridgette Alvarez I sure will. I would like to add, we need to pray for those who have compromised immune systems like Churchmouse, her granddaughter, the littler girl I care for (her name is Finley), my son who has asthma, and many others. -
Courtney I am agreeing with you in prayer for deliverance and healing in Jesus name. Amen I live in Louisiana, about 40 minutes west of New Orleans and 40 east of Baton Rouge. Tensions are high here but God is greater ❤️
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Buffy: With every form of comfort stripped from Jeremiah, what a balm God’s presence and voice must have been! The Book of Jeremiah is proof that there is nothing God’s children cannot endure as long as the Lord is still speaking. On every peak and in every valley, in times of plenty and in times of want, whether everything is coming up roses, or all we see is darkness—if we listen for the voice of our Shepherd, we will find that He is still speaking. He is not indifferent but engaged. God Himself is still wooing, always calling His children back to Him. – maybe you can try deleting the app and try to download it again or just use the website.
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Oh Lord, I confess I have complained about the things taken away from me, the things I want not being given to me or just being inconvenient to get. How patient are you! And how much more do I see my sin in light of this section of Jeremiah’s story. Forgive me. May my ears be open and my heart soft to hear your voice.
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Can someone tell me what the last few sentences are. The darn app keeps cutting it off.
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