Today’s devotion builds on the thoughts from Sunday’s Sermon – Week 1 of “Compelled – Living the Value of Persistent Prayer” (LISTEN HERE).
This might be one of my new favorite verses:
Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
What makes these opening words of Jeremiah’s prayer so powerful is the setting is prior to the people of Jerusalem being deported to Babylon for captivity. Jeremiah was given an opportunity to redeem a piece of property from his family’s estate. The “insider information” Jeremiah had was that the Babylonians were going to take the people captive.
Now if you knew an enemy nation was going to take over a piece of land, would you buy that piece of land?
I wouldn’t.
But Jeremiah did because he was confident the Lord would hold to his promise to return the exiles to Jerusalem.
Babylon was powerful. But God was more powerful.
Nothing is too hard for the Lord! Nothing. Period.
Jeremiah had this confidence because he knew the Lord created the earth to begin with. If he put everything and everyone on this earth, he certainly could guide and direct the affairs of the earth for the blessing of his people.
We can have the same confidence when we pray. Perhaps memorizing this verse and use it as an opening to your prayer would be a wonderful statement of praise and trust.
I am wondering if I am missing out on seeing the power of God because I don’t regularly put my confidence of prayer in the power of God?
What do I mean?
It’s not that I doubt the power of God, it’s that I forget to express that confidence as I pray to the Lord. I also miss out on seeing the power of the Lord, because I don’t remember all the things for which I pray.
So what might help?
Over the years, I have interacted with individuals who keep prayer journals. They write down regularly the situations and people for which they pray. Then they go back periodically and see how God has answered the prayer. What they have expressed is an amazing display of the power and grace of God to answer the prayers that were prayed.
I haven’t kept a prayer journal. But I’m thinking to be a persistent pray’er, one might be helpful.
The Lord would not let Jeremiah down. He will not let us down.
Here is what the Lord was going to do:
Jeremiah 32:37 I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. 38 They will be my people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. 40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. 41 I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.
I don’t know if Jeremiah kept a prayer journal. I guess the Spirit did for him so that all people would know that the power of God is real and can be trusted.
Prayer connects us to the power of the Lord!
Apply: Do you reader have a favorite form or bound journal you use? Please share!
I don’t endorse any of these, but here are a few that I found searching…
https://dailykairos.com/products/daily-kairos-prayer-journal?variant=37004562268321
https://thedailygraceco.com/products/in-everything-journal
There are many options on Amazon.com as well…just search “prayer journals.”
Try a week of journaling your prayers. Record how the Lord answers them…or waits to answer them.
Prayer: Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. AMEN.
Other prayers: Looking for a few prayers to use regularly? Try Martin Luther’s morning and evening prayers:
Morning Prayer
In the morning when you get up, make the sign of the holy cross and say:
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Then, kneeling or standing, repeat the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. If you choose, you may also say this little prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
Then go joyfully to your work, singing a hymn, like that of the Ten Commandments, or whatever your devotion may suggest.
Evening Prayer
In the evening when you go to bed, make the sign of the holy cross and say:
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Then kneeling or standing, repeat the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. If you choose, you may also say this little prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
Then go to sleep at once and in good cheer.