Prayers
Lord God, You sent Your prophets with Your Word to speak to Your people. You care for us, for You knit us together in the womb, and have accomplished great things for us at a very high cost to our Redeemer. You have put Your words in the mouths of prophets for our sake. You watch over Your Word to perform it. You have spoken words of disaster in warning, words of judgment against our evil, and words of comfort for the day of deliverance. You have been with Your holy prophet Jesus, for the fulfillment of every prophetic word.
Father, we have a job to perform for You today. You have been faithful from the beginning. You raised up Your people, and they have gone far from You. There is no fault in You. There can be no justification for our rebellion. We have made Your church an abomination to many because of our disobedience and pride. How could we turn to idols? How could we exchange Your glory for that which does not profit? You are a fountain of godliness and life for Your people. Why have we forsaken You as You led us in the way, only to choose broken vessels of bitter and polluted waters? We turn to You again in repentance. We turn away from wild ways of defiling sin. Cleanse us now by Your pure and powerful Spirit. Restrain our spiritual lust when we would move in the direction of strange gods. A tree is not our father. A stone cannot rise up and save us. You are the only true Source of life for us, and Your Son is the Rock of our salvation. Gather us again from the wilderness of foolishness, for we have forgotten You for many days. We are only innocent in the blood of the Lamb. Our shame is obvious, but our holiness is also real through the cross of Christ.
Husband of Your Church, we have been an unfaithful bride, and have polluted the land. Your people of old claimed You as their God even as they had done all the evil that they could. Will we follow in this treacherous way, and not return to You in truth? Please restrain our sin. We are not interested in the way of pretended religion. We want You and not some worthless foreign idol. You are the Master of Your people. Take us back, so that we will know Your love again. We will not stubbornly follow our evil hearts. You have brought us into a pleasant land. We turn from every perverted way. You are the Lord our God, and in You alone is the salvation of Your church. We honestly admit that we have sinned against You from our youth, even until this day, for we have not obeyed Your voice.
O God of Jacob, we return to You. We remove our detestable things from Your presence. We look to You alone with a heart that is able to mourn for our sin by Your grace. We will take up the tasks that You have for us today with confidence in You. When You call us to lament for our sin and fruitlessness, we take up that true cry and turn our hearts to You. Do not speak in judgment against us, for Your Son has saved us. There is trouble among us, O God, and we need You. Our ways and our deeds have brought this upon us. We come to You in anguish as those who love You and love Your people. Much of Your church seems to be a wasteland. Where is that wisdom that is from above? We need One Man to come and rescue us. Come Lord Jesus! We mourn for our sin. Will You utterly forsake us, O Lord? We turn away from our prostitution and murderous hate. We trust in You again.
Righteous Lord, we have filled Your church with sin. Even when we have been disciplined by You, we have refused to repent. This is not merely the record of the ignorant, but leaders in Your house have forsaken You. We are full of adulteries. Where is the church that remains clean? Like the house of Israel and Judah, we have been treacherous against You. Is there a way of mercy for us? Please do not utterly consume us and destroy us. For the glory of Your Name, purify Your church, but leave a remnant through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we have served foreign Gods and strange religious ideas, we have brought trouble upon Your people. We have turned away from You over and over again. Wicked men are easily found among Your people, even among those in important positions of trust and authority. Preachers preach falsely, and those who lead move us along in projects of sin. What will we do when the end comes? Please forgive us and help us.
Father God, the Day of Your Wrath is coming. Before that final day, there are many days of trouble for Your church, for You discipline those whom You love. We thank You for Your care that claims and restrains us. Our ears are not listening to Your Word as we ought to. We are not blushing at Your correction. We ignore the warnings of Your watchmen. We love the things of this world. When trouble comes, we are sometimes made more willing to consider Your Law. Will we be doomed to fall over the stumbling-blocks that have come into our path? This is no one’s fault but our own. We have had hearts of iron and have been unwilling to hear. Have mercy on us.
Lord God Almighty, there is much evil in the land. We imagine that we will be safe in Your church because of our dedication to a sacrament or some show of religious worship or act of dedication. Yet we go on doing all these abominations that are against Your Law. You have spoken persistently, but we have not listened. Father, we need the intercession of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Please forgive us, O God, and hear the perfect prayer of the One who atoned for our sins. Though we violate Your commandments, we continue to cling to the hem of His holy garment. What else can we do? We resolve to obey you, but we keep on sinning. You know the truth about us. Our only hope is in Christ. We will listen to Your Word, and we will be attentive to Your discipline. What will you do to us when we forget our promises and false asleep when we should be hearing Your voice? Surely we deserve to be food for the birds of the air, as our fathers were in the days of the prophets. Yet You are a God who will keep Your covenant, and You will magnify Your holy name. Save us, O Lord.
Eternal Lord, we live for a time on this earth, and then all that remains of us are dry bones. Is there hope for resurrection? Surely Your Son has risen from the dead. He has assured us that we have resurrection hope in Him. He said that He went to prepare a place for us, that where He is, we also shall be. Though we have sinned badly, He is the hope of our weak souls. We have been greedy in our hearts for unjust gain. We have joined a loud chorus of those who claim to know You, and yet who keep on sinning. Is there a way of peace for people like us? We thank You for the way of life through faith in Jesus Christ. He has defeated that serpent of old. Though our joy on earth may be gone, we have yet a spark of hope and a weak flame of new life. Hear our prayer and heal us. Restore us once again to a more vigorous spiritual health.
Lord God, we mourn for our loved ones in Your church. They are Your people, but they are adulterers, slanderers, and workers of iniquity who refuse to know You. Refine them, O Lord. Is there some other way besides suffering? Father, we pray not merely about some unknown creatures, but about our own friends, even our sons and daughters, who have not obeyed Your voice. We raise a wailing because of Zion. Lord, we lament concerning Your people everywhere. Young men and women who should have more sense and maturity are in love with foolishness. How can we reach their hearts, O Lord? You must touch them, O Lord, and draw us all back to You.
God of Truth and Beauty, we will not be fooled by the idolatry of the nations. Their gods are objects made by men. You alone are the Lord, full of wisdom, and speaking words of the most valuable instruction. You are clothed in majesty. You have wrath that we could never endure. You made the earth by Your power and understanding. You control the motions of the clouds, and the lives of human beings. You are the portion of Your people and the Lord of angels. You bring distress upon us when we need Your fatherly discipline. Take away our stupidity. Give us sense. Show us the way of life. Do not correct us in Your anger, or we will be brought to nothing.
Lord of the Prophets, You have spoken to us in the words of Your covenant. Your people have known the truth of Your provision and Your Law. Yet they have not been willing to truly hear Your Word. You brought upon them words of trouble in the sanctions that came against them. We thank You for the sacrifice appointed for us in Christ, our Lord. We confess to You that we have not had hearts ready to obey You. How could this be? Surely our prayers are hindered and our usefulness in Your Kingdom is limited when we have not humbled ourselves before Your Word. Our deeds testify against us. We have devised schemes against You and Your servants, even though we are a part of Your church. How we wander, O Lord! Have mercy on us, on our towns, and on our families.
Righteous God, the way of the wicked seems to prosper all around us. Stop their progress in sin and rebellion, lest we die. Even within Your church, though men speak friendly words, there is danger everywhere. Have You rejected Your heritage forever? Many shepherds have brought great harm upon Your people. Destroyers have come from within and without. Surely we deserve Your fierce anger. Purify Your Kingdom in mercy, O Lord. We commit ourselves to You again. Do not forsake us forever, O God.
Lord of History and Redemption, You have sent forth Your prophets to show clearly the uselessness of a worldly church. We have become a spoiled piece of despised clothing, for You will destroy the pride of Your people. We should cling to You, but we have not listened. Fill us with Your Spirit, and take away our foolish drunkenness. Make us to be men, O God, holy saints who are dedicated to You. Take away our stumbling. Free Your flock from the captivity of sin. Remove those who lead us toward the devil and are hardened in their rebellion. Do not cast us all away, like chaff in the desert. You have seen the moral filth of our sins, but Your Son has become a sin offering for us. He took our wretchedness upon Himself for the glory of Your name, to the praise of Your wonderful mercy.
Father God, hear our cry to You, for we are still Your children. We have been marked with the waters of baptism, and named with Your holy Triune Name. We know that our iniquities testify against us. Act on our behalf for the glory of Your own Name. You are in the midst of us. Do not leave us. We confess that we have loved to wander, yet surely nothing can separate us from Your love that has come to us in Christ Jesus our Lord. The prophets have spoken to us of a real peace – not the lying peace of false prophets that You have not sent, but the full peace spoken of by true prophets who saw in shadows Your glorious plan of redemption. They wondered how You could every justify the ungodly and retain Your own righteousness. We now see in Christ what they longed to see. Your Son has come as our Substitute. You have kept Your covenant, vindicated Your righteousness, and poured forth Your abundant mercy to sinners who are called by Your Name. We repent of our sins, and we pray for Your church.
Lord God, we have a better Mediator than even Moses or Samuel. There is One who pleads for transgressors, in accord with the words of the prophets. Surely there is no peace for Your people through the Law, but in Christ there is abundant and eternal peace. We have great trouble among us, O Lord. We acknowledge our shameful behavior. We deserve every frightening discipline that could come upon us now. Though we serve as slaves for our enemies, Your Son came from above not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. We are part of the many that He has saved from worthlessness and destruction. Do not let the wicked prevail over us forever, O Lord.
Lord of the Scriptures, Your Word is completely true and reliable. Help us to understand it rightly. Your holiness is far beyond us, yet this same holiness of Your Son has been credited to us. We know what we have deserved. There could be no gladness among us if we were to stand before You in our own righteousness. We have gone after other gods, and have not kept Your Law. Yet we will be warmly embraced by You as members of Your household and citizens of heaven. You shall restore us again as those who have been shown Your glorious favor. We long for the new heavens and the new earth. We think of the joy of seeing Your Son, face to face. Though we have polluted Your church with idols, will we see Your saving power in person? Blessed be Your Name. We hate our sin. You are the Lord.
Father God, our sin has brought great trouble upon us. How can we be effective and fruitful for Your purposes if we will not turn away from iniquity? Yet we will trust in You. Grant to us a new repentance based upon the power of the cross. You search hearts, and You bring life. Father, we desire that we might be sustained by You, our fountain of living water. We turn away from death. Heal us and save us. You are our refuge in the day of disaster. Sin and death have come against us, but Your Son has won a great victory for us. You are our strong and eternal Sabbath rest. We have come to the Holy Redeemer who has accomplished our Salvation. Therefore, we humbly confess our sin before You, and bring our lives as a thank offering to You. We shall live, for in Your life, we have life.
Creator God, we have been formed by You and fashioned for Your holy purposes. We live for a time here below. The day of our birth is known to You as is the coming day of death. We will serve You as long as we live. We will abandon our evil plans and deeds. We will return to You. How could we have wandered so far away? We have left the good pathway on so many occasions, yet You grant to us eternal hope through Jesus Christ. Show us the truth of Your Word in the day when enemies dig a pit for our lives. Grant us deliverance and hope, and may mortal foes be made friends through faith in Your Son and the power of the cross. Overthrow the old man of sin within us, and bring the new man of resurrection life into the eternal fullness of joy in Your presence forevermore.
Lord God, the end of the wicked is a shocking reality that requires our serious consideration. This is what we deserved because of our sin, and this is what Your Son has suffered for us through His death on the cross. Father, among the people of this world over the course of centuries we have learned of times of devastating destruction. In the pages of Your Word we have read about the things that took place in Israel and Judah, times of suffering and exile that were severely troubling. Thank You for rescuing us from the greatest calamity. Grant to us ears to hear Your Word faithfully today, that we might worship You in Spirit and in truth.
Father God, Your servants the prophets have felt the violent blows of false men who claimed to serve You. Especially Your only-begotten Son faced the hatred and brutality of those who were Your priests and the elders of the people. His Name was a word of derision in the mouth of fools who wanted to be something. Many watched for His fall with cruel envy. Though they seemed to succeed in the day of His sacrifice, His life was delivered from the grave through the marvel of resurrection. Though His days were filled with such great frustration and seeming futility, through His life and death our salvation has been securely accomplished.
O Lord of Hosts, what shall we do when Your enemies persecute and kill the righteous? Many think of themselves as vastly superior to the humble. Yet who will heal them of the pride that destroys their lives? Pity us. Spare us. Have compassion upon us. We will follow Your Son throughout our days among the city of men unto everlasting life. We will execute justice and mercy for the weak, as much as it is in our power to do what is good. Look beyond our sin, and gaze at the perfect righteousness of Your holy Son, Jesus, for He has destroyed death for us on the cross, and won eternal life for all who call upon His Name.
Lord God, we should use whatever power that we have to do justice and to care for the weak in accord with Your Word. One King of the Jews has done this perfectly. We have a Savior who has seen us in our great need and who has accomplished both justice and mercy through His death for us. The justice that we owed, He paid. The mercy that we longed for, He has granted. This Jesus is so different than other men of power. He looked upon our poverty and helped us. He had no oppression or violence in Him. Though He endured the unjust hatred of those who should have been His subjects, by His death He has redeemed many. We now hear His voice in every Word of the Scriptures, for all of the Law and the prophets testify of Him. Even wicked kings who are cursed by You today speak a Word of Christ, as the Scriptures are rightly preached, for our King shines in holiness by contrast with these evil rulers. He has become the source of fruitful blessing, though He was an object of Your wrath for our sake, taking upon Himself the curse that we deserved.
Sovereign Lord, Your shepherds should have cared for Your people. They all fell short of Your holy command. Then One came whose name was “The Lord is our Righteousness.” He became the only Shepherd of the sheep. We hear His voice in the Scriptures and follow Him. He leads us now in pathways of righteousness for Your Name’s sake. How different He is from the adulterous kings and prophets of ancient days. So many were false men. They spoke deceptive words of peace upon Your people, words that minimized the evil of their deeds. Christ has given to us true words of secure hope. He has exposed the deceits of our hearts, but has given us the light of the gospel of the kingdom. He gave forth Your Word like a fire, but then took the flames of Your wrath upon Himself for our sake. Your Son has delivered us from a burden that we could never bear. You have answered us in our great need through this one Prophet, Priest, and King, our Lord Jesus Christ. He has taken away our everlasting shame.
King of kings, have mercy on us in the day of our greatest disappointment. Your plan is sure, good, and full. We have violated your holy commandments and deserve your wrath. Nonetheless, You have set Your eye on us for good. We will return to You with a whole heart. If you treated us as our sins deserve, we would be utterly destroyed from the land, but because of Your Son we have a confident expectation of the fullest blessing.
Lord God Almighty, You are able to deliver us from situations that seem hopeless. You have spoken to us consistently through the Scriptures, showing us the way to go. We have not listened to You. We have not obeyed You. Please forgive us and help us. Take us through days of discipline. Hold us and keep us. Bring us beyond the time of desolation. We long for the life that can only come from You. We long for the resurrection of the dead. Bring us a taste of life even now when we face great difficulty and even disaster. Help us to have faith that You are bringing about a very good plan. Though You roar against Your church, yet we know that You love us and will save us. We remember the cross, by which Christ has taken away the horrible wrath that was coming against us. He has faced Your fierce anger for us, and we have a secure and full hope in Him.
Father, we need You. Your church has been given a most important task. We are to speak forth Your Word, which we love. Yet there are many who do not love the message that we bring, and we are tempted to turn back from the truth and to either speak the lies that people want to hear or to speak no word at all. Help us Lord, for there is an enemy against us. Disaster seems very near, and we need You. Protect us from those who do not love You. Give us energy for each day, lest we sleep and do nothing.
Lord Almighty, You have called us to bear the yoke of Christ. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Our fathers could not bear the yoke of the Law. You have brought us a Word of grace, and have filled us with Your Spirit. In Your providence You may bring us under the yoke of powerful men and nations for a time, but this is for our good. Help us to trust You today. The words of false prophets are lies. They sound smooth and appealing. They promise us an easy and speedy victory, but they do not speak the truth. Can we trust You in the suffering that is our portion this day? Be with us now, for Your Son suffered and died for us.
Lord God, You spoke to Your children through prophets, yet not every man who claimed to speak for You was true. In Old Testament days there were many false prophets, as there are even to this day. Many seem to speak only what people wish to hear. The Word that You have for us is wonderful. Why would we ever reject Your blessings and insist on answers that are not good? Your plan of eternal salvation is far better than the instant gifts that we would demand from You or the man-centered answers to our questions that we would invent. Give us patient ears and submissive hearts. Stay near us, O Lord.
Father God, there is so much that we cannot comprehend. There is much trouble all around us. Who can understand the glory of Your plan? You have sent us into a particular place, and we are to seek the welfare of the place where we live. There will be an end to every act of divine discipline. Your plans for us are good. We will seek You and we will find You, for You have sought us first and have found us. Have mercy on us, O God. We have not paid attention to Your Word as we ought to. Help us to distinguish lies from the truth. Grant this discernment not only to the elders of Your church, but to all who have the joy of hearing Your Word. False shepherds would lead the sheep away, but we will do what You have commanded. Help us to reject all lies, despite the strange appeal of the false claims of men.
O Lord, God of Israel, when will You restore the fortunes of Your church? We live in fear and distress, yet You will save us out of every trouble. If we are far away, You will draw us back. If we are near in body, but far away in spirit, You are able to bring us home. If we face the strongest enemies, You will still restore us to the place of Your compassion. There is no enemy who can destroy us. We thank You for the Ruler of the Church, for He is our strength. He will accomplish all the intentions of His heart.
Sovereign Lord, Your plan shall surely be accomplished. Your church shall be perfectly adorned with the righteousness of Christ. You bring forth shouts of joy from the voices of Your people. You will bring us to the place of Your presence. You will gather Your flock and give to Your people a New Covenant. Built on the Rock, which is Christ, Your church will be blessed according to Your promise. Restore us again, O God. Let us not be put to shame. We will return to You from the land of unbelief. We will follow our great Redeemer. The answer for us has come in the child of a woman. He watches over us for our good. Build and plant, O Lord, for Your ways are marvelous. We have broken Your Law, but Your Son has obeyed every commandment. We look with joyful expectation to the coming day when we shall no longer disobey Your commandments. Your love for us is both strong and sure. Your Kingdom will be built up, and Your Son shall reign forever.
Father God, Your plan for Your people is sure and wonderful. Despite the troubles that come upon us, You give us news of a great future. We are citizens of a better land, and we long for the day when we can take full possession of the good things that You have for Your children. Give us strength to persevere through the current age until the promise comes to us in full. O Lord God, we trust You. You can bring about that great day. Even now You can help us as we cry out to You. You see our weakness, but nothing is too difficult for You. We would not have anything had You not determined long ago to give good gifts to Your children. Show us today Your power and Your love. Preserve us through whatever means You see fit. Though the city be burned with fire, and though You would come in anger against Your unfaithful people, You are still fully able to carry us through the worst trials. We turn away from our sins, O Lord. We will worship You according to Your Word with a full heart of obedience. Sanctify us, Lord God, that we might dwell in safety in Your presence. Remember Your own covenant love, and help us in the time of trouble that is too much for us to bear. Do Your great work within the troubled souls of those who call upon Your Name.
God of Peace and Truth, You have made the earth. We worship You. You work out Your plans for Your church. There will be health and security for Your people. There will be full forgiveness for us through Jesus Christ our Lord. You have a plan that includes great joy and prosperity for us. We will have peace as we worship You forever. In the power of Your steadfast love, the fortunes of Your people will be restored. O bring forth that great day, O God. You will fulfill Your promises through the Righteous Branch, and we will be called by His great name. Thank You that Your Son has ascended into heaven and has given great gifts to Your church. Fill us with Your Spirit, and multiply the offspring of Your Servant, the Son of David. As the sun rises every morning, and as night follows day, so Your promises of mercy and restoration for Your people are absolutely secure.
Lord God, there is a tremendous need in Your church today. We need spiritual resources for the battle that is near us and even within us. We would give in to worldliness without even seeming to know what is happening. We would be caught in enslaving sins and encourage others in that slavery, and think that all that we were doing is just normal living. Even when we make some small progress, the attack against us may be fierce, and we would quickly turn to some evil way. Have mercy on us, and send us the spiritual power that we need for the challenge of this day. Your Son has confirmed Your covenant love for us through His own blood. Bring us back home again to You, for You are faithful in Your kindness to us.
Our Father, the disobedience of Your people is so unusual. We have been given a very good and holy law. We would do well to follow it carefully. Yet we find obedience to Your commandments to be a great spiritual struggle. Others may be able to do what their ancestors have handed down to them. They follow old customs and do not hate the ways that their fathers have given them. Your people have treated You with such a dishonorable rebellion, despite the fact that Your moral law is so far superior to the traditions of men. Forgive us for this deep treachery, and remember the full obedience of Your Son on our behalf. Your ways are so very good. We will obey Your commandments. Have mercy on us.
Almighty God, we thank You for the gift of Your Word, spoken to us through the prophets. We are very grateful that You have provided for us a written record of Your voice in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Grant to us Your Spirit that we might hear Your Word with deep reverence and with a willingness to worship and obey You. Use the ministers of Your Word to accurately explain to us the meaning. Show us the great themes that are so clearly put forth in the Bible. Some would have the most profound disrespect for Your Word. They would not tremble at Your warnings, but would gladly destroy any record of Your message to us. They will not succeed in their wicked plots. Though they would seem to be the most powerful people on the earth, they will not be able to take away the power of Your promises to us. We hear Your voice through the Scriptures, and we bow before You.
Lord God, will we utterly ignore Your warnings to Your church? You have told us to repent, lest You remove Your lampstand from among us. Would we put You to the test? Lying messengers assure us that everything is alright, though Your church would be dedicated to false teaching and wicked living. We have spoken against loyal ministers of Your Word, treating them as traitors. We willfully forget that false prophets who we once eagerly listened to have been proven wrong through events that we have seen with our own eyes. Save Your church, O Lord! Fill us with a true and right Spirit we pray. We need Your power and love.
Merciful God, the servants of Your Word are in great need. Some are being threatened by those around them. Others are already in prison or have had their property confiscated from them. Appoint someone to help them today, that they might have food to eat, healing for their illnesses, aid for their financial distress, friendship for their loneliness, and especially Your strong presence in their lives. Make them to be men of great courage. Though the wicked seek their lives, You are able to preserve Your servants again this day. Through all this distress, help those who are true messengers of Your Son to continue with the fullness of Your holy counsel. Though their homes and even their families be destroyed, preserve Your servants through every trial.
Lord God Almighty, when an agent of destruction and discipline from Your hand comes, will we see him rightly? How will we patiently receive the challenges that are a part of Your decree for Your church here below? Will we strike Your hand and run from You, or will we faithfully bear the affliction that You have sent for our good? Do we really believe that You know how to deliver us out of all harm? Do we truly know that You are working all things for our good? We believe Your Word. Strengthen us as servants of Your Son in a day of trouble.
Father God, we are a part of a larger whole. We are closely associated with one another in the body of Christ. We care for each other in days of difficulty and distress. We are willing to associate with the poor and lowly in their need. Provide us with faithful leaders in a day of trouble. Bring us food day by day, though we are captives of men. We know that You are the one true God. Help us to hear the Word of warning that comes to us, that we might be informed concerning the dangers all around us. Preserve our lives forever that we might love and serve You always.
O God our Help, wicked men would murder those in authority and bring horror and trouble upon many people and lands. We do not know the secrets of men’s hearts as You do. We are unable to see the dangers all around us. You must protect us. Defend us against secret foes who insist on their own ways. Provide for us those resources that are necessary for life and godliness in this world. We know that our labor in Your Kingdom is not in vain. We want You first, above ever other pleasure. Keep us from self-seeking short-sightedness, and the ruin that comes from worldly living.
Great God, there is danger around us on all sides in a time of great trouble. Still we know that Your ways are right. You are working out Your holy will. We will obey Your voice. This is our promise, but do we know what we are saying? What if Your Word goes against the strong intentions of our own thoughts and feelings? Will we really follow You? Please forgive us, O Lord. The dangers of our day are too serious for us to rely on our own understanding. We cannot safely follow the customs of the world. Even the church may be very weak in her commitment to the Scriptures. Father, protect us from foolishness. We do not want to go back to the place of worldly wisdom. We must be kept by You through Your strong Word.
O Lord of Hosts, against our holiest impulses and the plain teaching of Your Word, some have been forced to walk a dangerous path that is against Your revealed will. Please help us and be with us. As You know us Lord, there is some evil that is not our choice. Powerful men who usurp authority among Your people have forced our hands in ways that are wrong. How are we to submit to such foolish and unspiritual men? Yet we may have no choice today. Surely there are brothers and sisters who have been led away in chains into wicked situations and places. Meet us in our place of despair, and have mercy upon us. We would not willingly choose this slavery. Help us and deliver us.
Great Provider, You know how to save the righteous who are forced to live among the wicked. You can never be charged with wrong. We do not understand the events swirling all around us, but we do know You, and we love Your Word. Lying men have claimed to follow You, but they continue in idolatry with impunity. We fear You, O God, and we will walk in Your statutes. How could we be back in the land of slavery again? Surely Your people will only die here. Have mercy on the weak. O Father, our situation is very dangerous, and our hope is failing. Yet You are God. Those who claim Your Name are brazen and hardened in their rebellion against Your Word. The issues are not complex. You say, “Yes!” Your people insist on “No!” The people who bear Your Name have lied about their troubles. They cling to idols and pretend that all was well when they were scrupulously dedicated to evil. Go then, evil men! Do your wickedness! But do not let them use Your Name, Father, for they are not for You. They are against Your Word, and would destroy Your people who truly love You, and who would follow Your Truth. Deliver us from evil, O God, and have mercy on us, that we might be strong in a day of overwhelming temptation and sorrow.
Great God, You have grieved deeply over the trouble of Israel and the sins of Your church. Help us to see our own trials in light of Your greater grief. Grant us faith in Your Word, for You have given us our lives now and forever.
Lord God Almighty, all nations are known to You. Lands devoted to idolatry cannot pretend that they do not know of Your great works of creation. Yet people everywhere are full of confidence in themselves. You are in charge of the affairs of every land. The warrior considers his own strength invincible, but a greater foe can come in a moment. Your people must not put their trust in the powers of this world. We trust in You. One nation may seem to have the strength to last forever, but that country will not stand forever against you. You, O Lord of hosts, will judge the rulers and idols of all nations. Give us hope in a better day, a hope that is secure not through the weapons of this world, but through Your divine power and love.
Father God, for generations people of power have feigned a great confidence in their strength, yet at heart men know that they are dust. Who can pretend that the day of our death is so very far away? Make us sensible to the fact of Your existence. Help us to worship You in the beauty of holiness.
Sovereign Lord, ancient cities have been planted and plucked up in accord with Your great plan. Many names of peoples and places mean nothing to anyone today. They have had their great moment, and are now gone from all memory. Will we not be humble before You? How foolish we are when we demand only comfort in our lives. We need to be brought to You, at times through great suffering. In a time of trouble we may finally turn away from false gods. They are an abomination in Your sight. What is the might that we are counting on today? Do we have muscles or weapons beyond our neighbors? Are we people of the highest wit and wisdom? Will we defend ourselves against the Lord through our clever responses or our great military tactics? Father, we have been foolish in our lofty pride. Our boasts have been false. Our deeds and achievements will amount to nothing. Our labors will be utterly vain unless they are in Your Son. We hear Your Word today calling us to a better hope than man can provide. We have turned away from the love of money, and the pleasure that seems to come from the applause of men. There is a better foundation for life in the greatness of Your Son. We will no longer magnify ourselves against You, for You are God, even our God. We are pleased to be Your children, and we submit ourselves to Your will and Your holy commandments.
Glorious God of the Nations, what a variety of false gods the peoples of the world have invented. You are the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Where are the Ammonites and the Edomites today? What has become of ancient Damascus and Kedar and Hazor? Where are the many cities and peoples that men have utterly forgotten? They once had mighty powers to give them a great defense against powerful foes, but could they stand against You, O Lord God Almighty? Father, You are a sure foundation and a mighty fortress in the day of trouble. Any challenge that men face in this world is nothing compared to the coming wrath that will be a true terror on every side. You are right to be angry with men because of our sin. You are the Maker of the world and of all that is in it. Surely You have the right to determine our destiny and to punish us for our iniquities. Nonetheless, You have not been content to show only Your righteous wrath. You have a plan for latter days that involves an amazing restoration of fortunes for all who trust in Your Son.
Lord God, in every age there would seem to be a superpower. Each one imagines itself to be invincible. Can we see nothing from history? Will we not believe Your Word? You make a people of power to be an instrument of Your plan for a brief time. When their pride reaches a summit, they will be brought low, like all the superpowers that have come before. Your wrath, O Lord, is far too much for the mightiest Babylon. How strong is Your Son, and how invincible in His Kingdom! We marvel at Your ways, O God. Your Son came in weakness. When He died on the cross, it would have appeared to every observer that His days were gone forever. How could this one man be anything compared to mighty empires like the Assyrians or the Romans? Yet He has established a kingdom that shall not perish. Through His death and resurrection a temple is being built up that will never be torn down. All those who have proudly defied Your Son will find an enemy in Him that is glorious in mighty power. The God-Man who died on a cross will come again to judge the living and the dead. We rest in Him. Whatever strength or wisdom other kingdoms may seem to have, it is only for a moment. Our Jesus lives, and His Kingdom is forever. The Stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. How we long for the fulfillment of all Your promises! We dream about the peaceful valleys of Your great Land! There we will live in security and joy forever. Every brutal enemy will be harmless against us in that great day.
Father God, who can stand when You bring judgment upon a nation? Who will stand when You bring judgment against the world? What a Babylon we live in. The world is against You and Your people. You have stirred up the Spirit of one nation to bring down another land. Those who trust in their treasures will not stand when foreign enemies come by Your Hand. You bring forth the rain and the snow. You control the wind and the waves. You formed all things. You use armies for Your purposes. Idols are formed by men. These false gods are nothing and they can form nothing. You are God. If You are against the world, against men, against idols, You can bring about a complete destruction of a whole nation, breaking that land in pieces. Your purposes against any nation shall stand. Did we really imagine that any nation would be able to remain by her own power? You will repay the nations of the world for the way they have expressed their hatred against Your church. With a Word You create, and with a Word You will destroy. If we are able to even live through such an ordeal, it is a matter of great mercy. Why are we so amazed by the trials that we face when we live amongst a world that will surely face judgment? Did not the prophets face great difficulties and the violence of men? Why are our expectations so different from their earthly destiny, when You will surely judge men and nations? Lord, there is no safety in any place where we live. There is no land on this earth where we can think that we will have peace and prosperity. It is not by the wisdom or power of worldly empires that the new heavens and the new earth will be established. When You say the word, every Babylon shall sink and rise no more. Our safety is in You. Our citizenship is in heaven. Our home is in the body of Christ. We are eternally grateful for Your many mercies.
Father God, what will Your people do when Your church is led by worldly men who will not listen to Your holy Word? Powerful enemies come against us from the nations of the world. Grant us leaders who will follow You, even if we must die. Though our bodies may soon rest in the grave, we know that we will yet live in Christ. Lord, help us to fulfill the purposes that You have for Your people. The nations come and take from Your people their gold, silver, and bronze, but nothing can separate us from Your love. If we suffer for Your sake at the hands of men, we are greatly blessed. Grant us faith, that we might have eyes to see things as they are. Fill us with Your Spirit. Help us to follow our King Jesus, who died for us. Build up Your true temple through the preaching of the gospel. Gather Your Israel from every nation, as people are granted eternal life in Your Son.
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Devotions
Jeremiah 1
Throughout the centuries of human existence there have undoubtedly been many, many people groups that have come and gone, of whom we can say that there is no common knowledge of them remaining. There may be some few scholars who have a handful of artifacts or copies of written records. There may be a few sentences of ancient citations from historians who have known of certain cities and languages. Their descendants have no knowledge of their ancestors, for they have been folded into many other streams of human heritage without any sense of the names of places and people who were once formidable powers to be reckoned with. Now they are all gone. All that remains of them, all that even refer to them as primary or secondary sources could be boxed up in one trunk and put away in an attic, and almost no one would care, or even notice. Many other groups have absolutely no remaining record of their existence, though scholars search diligently for some sign of who once inhabited one part of the world or another. How many people over the centuries are from such unknown tribes? Yet the Lord made them, and He knows all. Even though they were not a part of His covenant people Israel, He knows all about them. They were raised up for their time in the sun, but they seemed to fade away with no remaining trace or even a whimper. Yet God knows.
Among such peoples there were surely many false gods. They also had leaders, men of pride who were important for their moment. Now their bones are unidentifiable. This is a sad fact for those created in the image of the eternal God. Even in the case of those groups that have some biblical record of their existence, of what worth are a few verses that speak of their pride and their destruction?
The Ammonites, part of the descendents of Lot, are remembered because they would not help the Israelites on the way from Egypt to the Promised Land. They had an eye for the weak, that they might take advantage of them in their distress. When some within Israel were in a bad way, the Ammonites were right there to be their captors and helpers, provided that all the Israelite men would submit to having their right eyes gouged out. Yet some of their women were mothers of a few important people in Israel, and in this way of intermarriage, they became a part of the Jewish people. Jeremiah announced that God would bring terror upon the remaining Ammonites. A city of theirs would become a desolate mound. As they had harassed the tribe of Gad, they would face trouble from other powers, but afterward God promised to restore the fortunes of the Ammonites.
The Edomites were the descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob. Again the Edomites were not helpful to the Israelites when the Hebrews were leaving Egypt. For centuries the Edomites were adversaries. When Israel was stronger, the Edomites served the Israelites. When Edom was stronger they threw off the rule of the descendants of Jacob. Amazingly, certain kings of God’s people became interested in the gods of Edom, and this idolatry brought great trouble upon God’s people. According to Jeremiah, the descendants of Esau would face serious difficulties. Wisdom would flee from her counselors. She would be stripped bare by conquerors. God would be the one who would appoint leaders for her. He would also appoint the rise and fall of her prospects. Yes, there would be great trouble ahead for Edom.
Syria or Aram was the old country for the descendants of Abraham. It was part of the confession of the Israelite concerning his heritage to say publicly “My father was a wandering Aramean.” In the land of the Syrians were the old gods that continued to have such a pull upon the hearts of the Lord’s children. Damascus, the capital of Syria, would also face devastating days according to the prophesy of Jeremiah.
We know much less about the remaining lands mentioned in this chapter. Kedar, Hazor, and Elam would face sorry prospects. The Babylonians would prove to be formidable opponents for all the nations within their reach. They brought terror on every side. Though some of these tribes may have once enjoyed tranquility, now there was danger everywhere. All of this was from the fierce anger of the Lord. Once again, some of these peoples would have descendants within various people groups that have perhaps continued to this day. For some of them the word of God included a message of some restoration in latter days, suggesting New Testament hopes for their descendants, though tracing the fulfillment of that Word might prove difficult for us.
The problem that any nation of the ancient world or of modern days faced was not only the threat of the superpower of their era. Ultimately their most frightening adversary was the Lord God Almighty. His wrath is the greatest problem that any nation or person can face. There is only one way to make peace with Him, to live, and to have a future hope that will be secure and good. That way is through the blood of Christ. With Christ, even Ammonites and inhabitants of strange lands unknown to us are now Israelites indeed. They are not Jews by birth, but today as they hear the gospel, believe and repent, they have the right to be sons of God. It is part of God’s glory that He would display His righteous wrath, but it is also part of His glory that there is a way of mercy for peoples that men have largely forgotten.