Read Jeremiah 20:7-12
As you read Jeremiah 20:7-12 you could be forgiven for thinking that you were reading a Psalm. Jeremiah, like many of the Psalmists, pours his heart out to the Lord. He cries out to God telling
Like the Psalmist Jeremiah works through his emotions and comes to a heart-warming and comforting conclusion in vs 11-12
11 But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior;
so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail.
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;
their dishonour will never be forgotten.
12 O LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous
and probe the heart and mind,
let me see your vengeance upon them,
for to you I have committed my cause.
Somehow I don’t think Jeremiah would have been as encouraged and blessed if he had sat quietly before the Lord, put his hands together, bowed his head a little and whispered or thought in his holiest accent, ‘Thank you O Lord that thou art a mighty warrior with me. You O Lord examine the righteous…’ (You get the drift?) I picture Jeremiah pacing the floor like a caged lion, with his arms stretched out to God in heaven, tears streaming down his face, speaking loudly or even yelling. Or perhaps he’s kneeling with his face to the ground, arms stretched out in front of him, tears forming puddles under his face as he cries before to the Lord.
And after pouring out his soul to God Almighty, he is deeply and richly comforted by the truth of vs 11-12.
11 But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior;
so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail.
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;
their dishonour will never be forgotten.
12 O LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous
and probe the heart and mind,
let me see your vengeance upon them,
for to you I have committed my cause.
Prayers such as this one and the many similar ones in the Psalms show a common pattern. The person praying opens his soul to the Lord and laments in His presence. Weeping, exposing one’s fears, anger and hurt are all common emotions. But inevitably they come back to God and lift up God for His love, compassion, strength and so on.
Not only is this a great model for our own prayers but it’s also a great model for how we can counsel others who are frustrated and angry. Rather than rescuing them and telling them about God’s goodness, strength etc we can let them cry, scream, vent their anger and frustrations. As they do, they will almost invariably come back to God and seek to praise Him for some characteristic. If they don’t we can gently lead them back to God. That person will feel refreshed,
Prayer:
Using the passage and reading for today spend time in prayer. Use the blank space below to add your own supplications.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
· Ask our Lord and Saviour to be drawing the youth, who meet tonight, closer to Himself. Ask God to deepen them in their faith and to challenge those who are not Christian to put their faith in Jesus. Pray that the group will grow in number.
· List the people you know of that are suffering or doing it tough in ministry and service. Ask the Lord to bring comfort and blessing to those who are suffering in their ministry and service. Ask God to be drawing these people near to Himself and healing hurts and wounds.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Often when people come to us for counsel or just to talk, we shy away from heavy emotions such as anger and let down. What factors stop us from allowing others to fully share their emotions and feelings?
2. How can we cultivate a deeper walk with God for myself?
3. How can I encourage others to be more intimate with God?
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