Submit to the Lord (Aug 29)
Jeremiah’s messages of judgment
arouse strong opposition, especially
in the palace. During Jehoiakim’s
reign, Jeremiah is threatened with
a death sentence. While Zedekiah
rules, Jeremiah dons a wooden
yoke to portray the importance of
Jerusalem surrendering to the yoke
of Babylon; and thereby arouses
the denunciation of the false
prophet Hananiah. In the midst
of this turmoil, Jeremiah sends
the exiled in Babylon a letter of encouragement, urging them to
settle down for an extended and
predicted period of captivity.
Jeremiah’s wooden yoke represents
the harsh domination of Babylon.
Jesus’ yoke symbolises His loving relationship with His disciples.
Both yokes stand for submission:
one to a foreign conqueror, while
the other to the Saviour’s love.
Jeremiah spoke to a rebellious
nation about the need to yield
to the enemy in order to survive.
Jesus also spoke of yielding,
not to an enemy but to a Friend –
One who provides all that is truly necessary for life and godliness.
Help us to Be Yoked with Christ.
Help us to Be Honest with Truth.
Help us to Be Submissive to You.
Help us to Be Truly Seeking U. Amen
Lord, we will Be Honest with Truth:
As soon as Jeremiah finished…
(they) seized him and said: You
must die! Why do you prophesy…
this city will be desolate & deserted?
… Then Jeremiah said… Obey the Lord… Then the Lord will relent…
Then the officials… said… This man
should not be sentenced to death!
He has spoken to us in the name
of the Lord… Some of the elders…
said… Micah… prophesied in the
days of Hezekiah… Zion will be
ploughed like a field, Jerusalem will
become a heap of rubble… Ahikam
…supported Jeremiah and so he
was not handled over to the people
to be put to death (Jer 26:7-24).
Lord, we recognise the tendency
to dismiss anything that’s negative.
And we must resist the people’s desire to be given only good news.
Help us Lord to make a stand when challenging to tell the truth and when
especially it’s Your heartbeat. Amen.
Lord, we will Submit to Your Will:
By My great power I have made the
earth & all its people… I give these things of mine to anyone I choose.
Now I will give your countries to
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon,
who is My servant…U must submit
to Babylon’s king and serve him;
put your neck under Babylon’s yoke!
I will punish any nation that refuses
to be his slave… I’ll send war, famine
and disease upon that nation until Babylon has conquered it(Jer27:5-8)
Then I repeated this same message
to King Zedekiah of Judah… Do not
listen to the false prophets who keep
telling you: The king of Babylon will
not conquer you. They’re liars(12-14)
Lord, You are in control of all events
and You use whomever You choose.
Help us accept Your decision even
if it comes from unexpected source.
Help us listen to Your painful truths
rather than to comforting lies. For You are the Creator in charge. Amen
Lord, we purpose to Seek You:
After 70 years at Babylon, I will
cause you to return to this place.
For I know the plans I have for you,
says the Lord. They are plans
for good and not for disaster;
to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon me and I will
listen to you. And you will seek Me
and find me, when you search for
me with all your heart (Jer 29:10-13)
Lord, grateful You have planned
a future and a hope for my life.
Because of Your power and Your
faithfulness, I know that nothing
in my life is outside Your control.
May my hope be firmly grounded
in Your unchanging character.
Help me to fully and willingly
submit to Your will for my future.
And draw me to seek You earnestly
and to pray wholeheartedly. Amen