A Closer Look
In the
publisher’s foreword to If You Will Ask,
Oswald Chamber’s thoughts are summarized as follows. “Prayer is getting ourselves attuned to God,
not getting God attuned to us.” This is
a good statement to remember as we read Jeremiah’s prayer (32:17-25) and
consider his circumstances.
At the time of his prayer,
Jeremiah was confined by King Zedekiah in the royal palace in Judah for
conveying unpopular, but true, prophecies from God. A brutal enemy was about to climb over the
wall, destroy the city, and capture what was left of God’s chosen people. In the midst of all this, God sent a
messenger to ask Jeremiah to buy a plot of ground in Judah – a land that he had
said was about to be occupied by the Babylonian enemy!
How should we pray when nothing
makes sense? What do we say when God
acts in ways that seem out of character?
Note what Jeremiah said to God in precisely this situation:
‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the
heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing
is too hard for you. You show steadfast
love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after
them, O great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose
eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one
according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds. You have shown signs and wonders in the land
of Egypt, and to this day in Israel and among all mankind, and have made a name
for yourself, as at this day. You
brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders,
with a strong hand and outstretched arm, and with great terror. And you gave them this land, which you swore
to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. And they entered and took possession of it.
But they did not obey your voice or walk in your law. They did nothing of all
you commanded them to do. Therefore you have made all this disaster come upon
them. Behold, the siege mounds have come
up to the city to take it, and because of sword and famine and pestilence the
city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What
you spoke has come to pass, and behold, you see it. Yet you, O Lord God, have said to me, “Buy the
field for money and get witnesses”—though the city is given into the hands of
the Chaldeans.’”
Amazingly,
in spite of all the chaos and mixed messages that were going on around him,
Jeremiah did not ask God to do anything!
He simply talked to God about who He was, what He had done in history,
and what He was doing at that moment. In
other words, Jeremiah tuned his heart to God by talking to Him.
Through this process of talking
to God, Jeremiah was able to come to a clearer understanding of Him. When he better understood God, he was able to
accept what God was doing—even though it was devastating. As Jeremiah prayed, recounting God’s deeds as
the Deliverer of the people of Israel, God’s nature as Redeemer was
reaffirmed. When God asked Jeremiah to
buy a piece of land according to the ancient laws of redemption (Lev.
25:23-28), He planted a sign in the midst of Israel’s destruction. It was a sign that He would one day redeem
His people and bring them back to freedom in their homeland.
I used to get frustrated with
God when he would do things that seemed contrary to what I knew of Him. Then one day, I said, “Lord, I want to know
You as You really are, not as I have always wanted You to be.” The walls I had put around God came
down. As long as I confined God to my
small knowledge of Him, He frustrated me by going outside the walls of my
understanding. Now, even though I do not
always understand God’s actions, I have peace that they are right and
consistent with His nature. I know that
what seems to be right and consistent with His nature. I know that what seems to be meaningless circumstances
now will someday become meaningful.
Are you faced with circumstances
that are making you feel confused, frustrated, or angry with God? Try talking it out with the Lord, as Jeremiah
did, by recalling his character and action as revealed in the Bible, in
history, and in your own life. In the
midst of your despair, look for the promise of his redemption.
Personal Approach
Think of a difficult, seemingly meaningless circumstance that you, a friend, your church or your nation is facing. Using Jeremiah’s prayer as an example, compose a prayer to God. Try to pray without asking God to do something.
Okay this is a much harder task than I thought it would be. Pray without asking God to something about a situation that needs a resolution? Arrgghh.. Took me 3 times and I finally just had to acknowledge what he has done, where I was and what will happen will be his will.
ReplyDeleteThe situation that needs resolution is my own complacency.
ReplyDeleteMy Father, it ought to be simple to just say a prayer without asking you for a thing. However I find almost comically that my first instinct is to ask you for your divine intervention in helping me to pray in such a manner. LOL
You are so absolutely precious to me in every way. The way you reached into my life and took me, a wretch, a sinner covered in this evil tar and drowning in this mire and you pulled at my heart that I would long to find you; seek you with my all. You have not only my thanks but my eternal devotion. I desire only that which brings you glory. I trust you in all things knowing full well that great or small it is within your power to cause, change, keep from cause or change and to bring into or take from existence anyone or thing at any time of your choosing. I thank you for your great patience that many would come to know you still and for your grace that you pull on their heartstrings like you first pulled on mine. You are glorified in those whose lives are changed, being changed, will be changed. I am sorry for those (including myself) who have taken your great patience as approval of their sins, but ever thankful for not only your salvation but your forgiveness; for the blood shed in our place to cover us with your great love; for your Holy Spirit – our exceedingly great gift and Adversary who helps us in all things. To simply say thank you seems so little a sacrifice and so I offer my life a living sacrifice that you would use it to your glory and for your purposes. Lord you are glorified in your servant. Though I am unworthy, you have shared your plans and opened up the mysteries of your word to us and have called us/me friend. I know I will fail you time and time again as friend and servant both but I will lean more to your great strength every day that I would more reflect your likeness in my heart, words and actions while I’m here. To you all the glory forever.
Dear God,
ReplyDeleteYou have been there for me and my family in the past. I know that you will continue to be there for us in there future. You have blessed me a mother that taught me to filter what I say. Your word teaches to not speak in anger. Lord I truely thank you for all that you have provided for me. You are the pillar that I lean upon when I do not know where to go. There is no way that I could ever repay the grace that you have bestowed upon me. I want to be an example to my family of how your presence in my life csn lead to a more fulfiling life. I know in the past I have failed and I will strive to do better in the future. Your word says that you are the way and that you are all I need in this life. Thank you for all that you are.