P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
As we continue in Jeremiah 32, we will see a word come from the Lord that seems like utter foolishness in the eyes of the people.
Together we will pray (P.R.A.Y.) each day – ‘P’: Pausing to be still as we come into the presence of the Lord. ‘R’: Rejoicing as we remember who our God is and what He has done, and Reflecting on His word. ‘A’: Asking God to help us and others. And ‘Y’: yielding to His will in accordance with His word.
As I come before you to pray, I still my thoughts and quiet my mind. I seek to make you the center of my focus.
Prayer of Approach
Lord, as I end this year in your presence would you meet with me? Remind me of the faithfulness you have shown me this past year. Fill my heart with joy that you are the God who loves me. Wherever I may find myself today, would you fill me with hopeful anticipation about a future with you? Meet with me, my God.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Joshua 21:45
Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.
Joshua 21:45
Today we are reflecting on the words of Scripture in Jeremiah 32, where we read:
Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.’ Then Hanamel my cousin came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.
“And I bought the field at Anathoth from Hanamel my cousin, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions and the open copy. And I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my cousin, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in the court of the guard. I charged Baruch in their presence, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware vessel, that they may last for a long time. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.’
Jeremiah 32:6-15
As Jeremiah is locked up we see maybe the oddest real estate deal of all time take place. The Lord prepares Jeremiah for what is about to happen though. The Lord tells Jeremiah that his wheeling, dealing cousin is going to show up and offer him some property. This property is in Anathoth, which is outside of the city of Jerusalem in the land of Benjamin. So let’s rehearse this deal. Firstly, Jeremiah is imprisoned at this moment. I don’t know if it is ever a good idea to buy real estate when you are locked up by a king who could have you killed at any moment. Secondly, this is not a prime piece of real estate when everything is going well. Thirdly, THE CITY IS UNDER SIEGE AND IT WILL FALL. If Jeremiah does this he will be buying occupied land for a foreign empire. All in all an earthly advisor would say don’t do it. Jeremiah though isn’t listening to an earthly advisor, he is listening to the Lord who tells him to do it. He pays a sum of seventeen shekels of silver, which I’m sure his cousin was just excited to get any money from this property. He also goes through the legal obligation of having all of these witnesses take part in this purchase. Jeremiah has to be thinking this is embarrassing enough with just my cousin knowing I bought this, but now all of these other people are seeing what is happening. He is probably beside himself concerning his reputation, but he trusts the Lord. He puts the deed and the papers in a vessel that will last why? Because the Lord will one day return all of this land to his people if only they trust him and Jeremiah does. Jeremiah doesn’t care what everyone else thinks. He is faithful to hear the word of the Lord and obey it quickly!
Lord, I ask that you would give me faith to truth your words. To trust your words when my eyes fail me and my earthly situation wants doubt to creep in. Let my trust lead to hearing and my hearing lead to obedience.
1)Do I trust the Word of the Lord even when it doesn’t make earthly sense?
2)In who or what do I place my ultimate trust?
God, nothing is too great for you to accomplish. As the new year approaches, I ask for you to pour out your Spirit on your people. Would you make 2023 the year you wake your sleeping church? Would you make 2023 the year you pour out your Spirit in a supernatural way in South Florida? Would you make 2023 the year we look back on and remember that it was in that year that the Lord dealt with his people mercifully by making his glory known amongst them?
As I read the passage again slowly, I listen for anything that You would say to me in it. Help me see how to position my life in order to yield to your word.
Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.’ Then Hanamel my cousin came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.
“And I bought the field at Anathoth from Hanamel my cousin, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions and the open copy. And I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my cousin, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in the court of the guard. I charged Baruch in their presence, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware vessel, that they may last for a long time. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.’
Jeremiah 32:6-15
Yielding Prayer
Lord, in you, I place my trust. In you, I place my hope. Let my life be defined by an unwavering trust in your Word. Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. I trust your Word because I trust in you and you have never failed me. I surrender my life not to just hear your word, but to do it. Let my life be like Jeremiah’s.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Proverbs 16:9:
The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.
Proverbs 16:9
Closing Prayer
Lord, as I leave this moment would you go with me? As I have met with you and heard what you have to say give me the strength to hear what needs to be heard and to obey what needs to be obeyed. Fill me with your Spirit that guides and convicts. Let me experience the love and mercy you have for me as I walk in step with you. May the words of my mouth match the meditations of my heart today?
*The P.R.A.Y. acronym has been adapted from the Lectio 365 app.