- And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken. Jeremiah 38:28 – What we are reading about in this chapter is likely the most difficult chapter of Jeremiah’s ministry life. While in prison he is taken by some officials, beaten, and put in an undergrown cistern with the hopes he’d starve to death while he slowly sunk deeper into the mud in the blackness. Before he dies, he is rescued and brought to the king so see if his message from the Lord would have changed after all this, but it didn’t. Thankfully Jeremiah is not tossed back in the cistern, but he is sent back to prison. While this was his lot, his story would end far greater than the king’s. One commentator put it this way, “Jeremiah went back to the prison; Zedekiah went to the palace. It would turn out better for the prophet than for the king.” (Guzik) Jeremiah went through so many seasons of despair, yet during those same times we see evil kings living well in their palaces. It doesn’t make sense from an earthly viewpoint, but from a heavenly one things become far clearer. While Jeremiah’s story is one I feel most believers would love to avoid being the story of their life after God, seasons of despair will come to those who are faithfully following God. Yet at the same time we’ll see sinners seemingly finding the blessings we expected to be in our lives. While we may go back to our prison and they may go back to their palaces, know things will always turn out better for those who are faithful to God. Maybe that better will be experienced on this side of Heaven, but if not we know that when the unbeliever is experiencing the pains of Hell we’ll be enjoying the beauties of Heaven. Remaining faithful to the Lord is worth it, even when it doesn’t seem like it in the moment. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3268
- My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern, and he will die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city. Jeremiah 38:9 – We must trust that when all hopes seems lost and we’ve exhausted all our resources to change our circumstance that God is still working to save us. Jeremiah is stuck in the mud at the bottom of this dark cistern. His strength can’t change his circumstance. What we read here though is at the that same time God is moving to provide him an escape. Trust God is moving. Trust God sees your circumstance. Trust God has your best in mind. He loves you and promises to take care of you and when you’ve hit the bottom and it’s only God who can help, know He’s there and ready to help. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 957
- King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest I be handed over to them and they deal cruelly with me.” Jeremiah said, “You shall not be given to them. Obey now the voice of the Lord in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared.” Jeremiah 38:19-20 – The fears of the king are common ones of followers of God today. What will people think? What will people do if I actually follow God? The king was afraid of the people and what they would do to him if he listened to the words of God that we’re coming from Jeremiah. I find myself battling these same fears in my position, fearing people’s reactions or people leaving the church if I make a certain decision or preach a certain topic that God is directing me to talk on. Possibly you feel this way too sometimes. How will people at your school or your work or in your family react if you start doing what God says to do? If we learn anything from Jeremiah’s story, clearly people don’t always react well and it often comes at a cost to follow God’s directions. At the end of the day, and the end of your life, which voice though do you want to say you followed? God’s voice or just someone who is in a short season of your life? Choose God’s voice to follow. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2170
Daily DEVO 