Happy Wednesday friends!!  A brief few words…reading in Jeremiah a bit today and was both encouraged and convicted by the words I read therein.  Jeremiah is in jail.  And the city of Jerusalem is literally under siege by the Chaldeans – with the fall of the city less than 2 years away.  Bad circumstances, right?  Jeremiah gets a word from the Lord however – telling him to purchase a piece of property as a sign that someday there will be a restoration.  And so Jeremiah obeys.  But after his obedience, he cries out to the Lord in prayer.  And oh might we all pray as he does here – he names the attributes of God – namely, his omnipotence, omniscience, mercy and justice – and he exults in the name of the Lord.  But even as he lifts up the name of the Lord, he also confesses and agrees as to the sins of the people and states that the city is surrounded and about to fall.  Without questioning God as such, Jeremiah lists the works of the Lord – His judgment and promised redemption.  And there is a hint of a question at the end, when Jeremiah mentions the fact that he bought a piece of property…even though the city is about to fall.  But Jeremiah’s faith is indeed strong.  And God replies(at length!  but I shall reproduce only a line): “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”

Truly let us remember that this day.  When all seems wrong and all is lost and we think surely nothing good is even possible…think on these words.  Jeremiah is imprisoned in a city that is about to fall to a ruthless enemy.  We are not normally in situations as dire as this, and so we have even less reason to doubt the goodness of God.  Yet, we do doubt, I know.  I know because I doubt.  And at those times, cry out to the Lord in prayer.  Think on the grand and beautiful attributes of God.  Remember that God is a God of exceeding lovingkindness and mercy.  Think on the great works of the Lord that He has done in your life.  And at the end, rest.  Rest in the promises of God – He shall surely never leave or forsake you, as long as you shall live.  Remember the promises of Christ – His yoke is indeed easy and His burden is light.  Go to Him, and you shall have rest for your souls.