Jeremiah 33:3 “Call Me”
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!
This month, I am led by the Lord to meditate on the importance of the Prayer life. This is a very interesting practical subject but hard to practice, but the theory is very sweet to read and talk about it. Prayer is the only way to blessings.
There are volumes of books available on this topic, but a few had tasted the fullness of the joy of it. I hope at the end of this month many knees would kneel before the Lord and many tongues will confess that Jesus is Lord.
Prayer has no particular module or syllabus but it demands the heart of the seeker of God and acknowledging the existence of the Almighty in all life situations.
The promise for this month is from Jeremiah 33:3. “Call unto me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (NIV).
This verse has three components of certainties, namely, Calling the Lord, Answer of the Lord, and Experiences of the Miracles of the Lord.
1. Calling the Lord
This is an almost everyday event on the earth. God told his people to call unto him. He said: “Call unto me.” Because he is the creator, he is almighty, he is the miracle worker, he is the redeemer, he is the source of all good things and all perfect gifts come from him. Everyone who calls unto the Lord has the experience of answering. Targum, "pray before me, and I will receive thy prayer'' (John Gill).
The Lord one who created all of us has set his ears to attend to the prayers of the saints and sinners alike. He is the God of impossibilities and impartiality. He is a respecter of no person. The calling of the name of the Lord is named as Prayer, cries, and meditation.
There are many ways to express the difficulties, distresses, and troubles to the almighty. God heard the prayers, cries, and even sighs of the individuals and communities. Bible has full of events of all these things. God is so gracious and compassionate because he hears the cries, groans, and mourning of everyone.
The promise given here is motivating grace for all of us. “Call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.” (Psalm 50:15). According to KJV Dictionary, “TROUBLE”, means turbo; turba, or a turn. The primary sense is to turn or to stir, to whirl about, turbo, a whirlwind. Hence the sense of agitation, and disturbance of mind; agitation; commotion of spirits; perplexity.
The Psalmist said that in the day of my trouble, I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. (Psalm 77:2). David has the confidence that in the day of trouble God will hide me in His shelter; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will set me high upon a rock (Psalm 27:5).
Call Me in a day of adversity, I deliver you, and you honor Me (YLT - Psalm 50:15). This is expressing the various forms of distress and evil conveyed by four Hebrew words: tsela`, "a halting" or "fall"; tsarah, "straits" "distress," "affliction"; tsar, "straitness," "affliction"; ra`, "bad," "evil," "harmful." These words cover the whole range of misfortunes caused by enemies, poverty, sorrow, and trouble.
Call upon me in the day of affliction, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psalm 50:15 -Brent Septuagint). Call on me in the day of distress; I will deliver you, and you will glorify me (ISV - Psalm 50:15). In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple, He heard my voice and my cry for His marvelous ears. (Psalm 18:6). Is any one of you suffering? He should pray (James 5:13).
2. The answer of the Lord
It is another certainty that God answers us always. He answers several ways the seekers. He rescues them, redeems them, releases them, comforts them, and consoles them. Jeremiah 33:3 puts this as ‘Call to Me and I will answer you.”
‘God invited Jeremiah and all who heard to come to Him in faith-filled prayer, confident of His answer’ (Enduring Word). “Little prayer, little blessing; more prayer, more blessings; many prayers, much blessing.” (Meyer). ‘God is speaking to an upturned face, not a preoccupied back’ (Constable).
1 Peter 3:12 says that the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer. 1 John 5:15 says that if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of him. John 16:24 says that until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. Isaiah 65:24 – ‘Before they call, I will answer; while they are yet speaking, I will hear.’ Jeremiah 29:12-13 say then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
This is a passage that prophecies peace, prosperity, comfort, and hope for the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. National restoration, universal redemption, and the spiritual healing of both the northern and southern kingdoms are the key elements.
The answer comes in the form of Recovery (Jeremiah 33:6), the form of the restoration to the original image and likeness of God, promise to rebuild the ruined status of life (Jeremiah 33:8). Restoration of the health, and fortunes of Judah and Israel (Jeremiah 33:7,11). The answer of the Lord is leading to the green pastures, giving rest and care to the body and soul (Jeremiah 33:12-13).
3. Experiences of the Miracles
Then he expresses that I will tell you and even show you great and mighty things, things which have been confined and hidden, which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish.’ (Amplified Bible). "… I will tell you wonderful and marvelous things that you know nothing about.’(Good News). ‘I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come (NLT).
The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant (Psalm 25:14). He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. (Psalm 91:15). ‘Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses…’(Psalm 103: 6-13, 19, 28).
For those who seek God, and call him with a sincere heart, God answers and does miracles of healing, enjoyment of peace, and joy. May the Lord help each and every one of us to spend time praying at least for considerable minutes on daily basis to experience the Miracles in your and others’ lives.
This promise came to Jeremiah while Jeremiah was confined (Jeremiah 33:1). His land was in a condition of waste (Jeremiah 33:10).
Today we are given the assurance to call on him despite the conditions of our life. Jeremiah's prophetic disclosure was accompanied by an important time of prayer, petition, and pleading for his people. ‘God will give the reserved blessings of you, of things future, of things reserved in the heart of God, and which he purposed to do; and very rightly’ (John Gill).
Conclusion: Call unto God, he will answer and experience the grace. Promises are given, not to supersede, but to quicken and encourage prayer.
