Have you ever struggled with your walk with God? I am not referring to the sins which so easily beset us, rather struggled in the sense that you are working on something that you think that the Lord has led you to do, and yet nothing seems to be coming together. If you are like me, you may begin to question whether God really told you to do what you think He did. At the least you may be scrambling to get the assignment completed as I have been for the past few weeks.
This kind of thing changes my prayer life. I know that what I am doing is going to be resisted strongly by the enemy of our Lord. So I pray against his schemes. But that does not stop him from whispering that what I am doing is not going to work, or is not really what the Lord wants me to do.
In Jeremiah 32:6 – 44, Jeremiah faced this type of thing. He was imprisoned. He was told by the Lord that he was to redeem land that was about to be taken by the Chaldeans. Jeremiah's default position was to obey. But, God, in His grace confirmed what He told Jeremiah to do immediately. Although the prophet had the Word of God confirmed He was still anxious. In Jeremiah 32:16 – 25, Jeremiah models for us how to respond to this. He prayed. Look at the structure of his prayer:
16 – 20 – Jeremiah praises the Lord for who He is.
21 – 23 – Jeremiah recounted what the Lord had done for Judah and by extension himself.
24 – Jeremiah tells the Lord the current situation.
25 – Jeremiah repeats the direction he understood was from the Lord, tacitly asking for confirmation.
The Lord answers. You may have the answer memorized, Jeremiah 32:27.
So that was how I prayed.
This afternoon the Lord answered with stunning overwhelming grace. We serve a Lord who does not play games with us. We serve one who when He directs, supplies what we need. His confirmation comes in His time. When it comes, it overwhelms.
Why would we not give our all for a God like Him?
In Jeremiah 32:6 – 44, Jeremiah faced this type of thing. He was imprisoned. He was told by the Lord that he was to redeem land that was about to be taken by the Chaldeans. Jeremiah's default position was to obey. But, God, in His grace confirmed what He told Jeremiah to do immediately. Although the prophet had the Word of God confirmed He was still anxious. In Jeremiah 32:16 – 25, Jeremiah models for us how to respond to this. He prayed. Look at the structure of his prayer:
16 – 20 – Jeremiah praises the Lord for who He is.
21 – 23 – Jeremiah recounted what the Lord had done for Judah and by extension himself.
24 – Jeremiah tells the Lord the current situation.
25 – Jeremiah repeats the direction he understood was from the Lord, tacitly asking for confirmation.
The Lord answers. You may have the answer memorized, Jeremiah 32:27.
So that was how I prayed.
This afternoon the Lord answered with stunning overwhelming grace. We serve a Lord who does not play games with us. We serve one who when He directs, supplies what we need. His confirmation comes in His time. When it comes, it overwhelms.
Why would we not give our all for a God like Him?
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