Reading: Jeremiah 40 - 45
My Verse: "At the end of ten days the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah" (Jeremiah 42:7).
This is so very interesting, LORD God, that You do not answer Jeremiah immediately. I know that You could, because You know what we will ask even before we speak our request. (Psalm 139:4) You know our very thoughts! So why do you wait for "ten days" in this case? Why do you make us wait for Your answer to our prayers?
Even Daniel was made to wait for long periods of time for a response to his prayer. (Daniel 10)
You made Abraham wait for ever so long (25 years) before he had a son as You promised. Simeon waited his entire life to a very old age to see You, his Savior before dying. Yet, he did believe You would answer his prayer and the wonderful joy he knew when that prayer was answered!
David speaks often of having to wait and even feeling abandoned.
"O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
And by night, but I have no rest" (Psalm 22:2).
"O LORD, I call upon You;
hasten to me!
Give ear to my voice
when I call to you! (Psalm 141:1)
"Save me, O God,
for the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in the miry depths,
where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
the floods engulf me.
I am worn out calling for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
looking for my God" (Psalm 61:1-3).
"Do not let the floodwaters engulf me
or the depths swallow me up
or the pit close its mouth over me.
Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love;
in your great mercy turn to me" (Psalm 69:15,16).
Who has not felt the kind of anguish that David speaks of here? As I keep reading the Psalms and the prayers of others in the Bible I slowly, oh ever so slowly realize how truly wonderful You are, LORD God. Even when I struggle in prayer - wondering where You are, I am learning that I need to turn my eyes upward away from my immediate issue. I need to turn my eyes on You, LORD God. That is what David does in the Psalms so wonderfully! He battles through the anguish, the worry, the fear, the doubt until he sees You clearly.
"I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD" (40:1-3)
It seems that it is in the struggle we learn, we learn how to turn to You, LORD God. We are truly amazingly complex creatures - because we are after all created in Your very image. You love us more than we can know and You will do whatever is needed to bring us to a place where You want us to be - a place full of love and peace.
"You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them
yet they are more than can be told" (Psalm 40:5).
Thank You, LORD God for Your unsurpassing love!
Didat Deus - God Enriches!
My Verse: "At the end of ten days the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah" (Jeremiah 42:7).
This is so very interesting, LORD God, that You do not answer Jeremiah immediately. I know that You could, because You know what we will ask even before we speak our request. (Psalm 139:4) You know our very thoughts! So why do you wait for "ten days" in this case? Why do you make us wait for Your answer to our prayers?
Even Daniel was made to wait for long periods of time for a response to his prayer. (Daniel 10)
You made Abraham wait for ever so long (25 years) before he had a son as You promised. Simeon waited his entire life to a very old age to see You, his Savior before dying. Yet, he did believe You would answer his prayer and the wonderful joy he knew when that prayer was answered!
David speaks often of having to wait and even feeling abandoned.
"O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
And by night, but I have no rest" (Psalm 22:2).
"O LORD, I call upon You;
hasten to me!
Give ear to my voice
when I call to you! (Psalm 141:1)
"Save me, O God,
for the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in the miry depths,
where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
the floods engulf me.
I am worn out calling for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
looking for my God" (Psalm 61:1-3).
"Do not let the floodwaters engulf me
or the depths swallow me up
or the pit close its mouth over me.
Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love;
in your great mercy turn to me" (Psalm 69:15,16).
Who has not felt the kind of anguish that David speaks of here? As I keep reading the Psalms and the prayers of others in the Bible I slowly, oh ever so slowly realize how truly wonderful You are, LORD God. Even when I struggle in prayer - wondering where You are, I am learning that I need to turn my eyes upward away from my immediate issue. I need to turn my eyes on You, LORD God. That is what David does in the Psalms so wonderfully! He battles through the anguish, the worry, the fear, the doubt until he sees You clearly.
"I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD" (40:1-3)
It seems that it is in the struggle we learn, we learn how to turn to You, LORD God. We are truly amazingly complex creatures - because we are after all created in Your very image. You love us more than we can know and You will do whatever is needed to bring us to a place where You want us to be - a place full of love and peace.
"You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them
yet they are more than can be told" (Psalm 40:5).
Thank You, LORD God for Your unsurpassing love!
Didat Deus - God Enriches!
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