March 18 – In the Dungeons
Jeremiah 32:2: For then the king of Babylon’s army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house.
Jeremiah was a prophet in Jerusalem at the time of the siege and destruction by the Babylonians. Jeremiah suffered false accusations, abuse, was imprisoned and went through trials although he was a faithful prophet of God. One amazing thing about Jeremiah was he never gave up because God gave him a commission.
Harry S Truman: Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.
Here are a few things we can learn from Jeremiah:
He was persistent. We are living in a very dark world and the darkness is swiftly covering the lost in great intensities, so we have to be truth and light bearers. We cannot melt into the darkness and get drowned by it. Many leaders today are compromised and drowned by the system and this is why nations are submerged in darkness. We need to rise up and speak for others too.
The people in those days were wicked, as we see today too. They screamed at Jeremiah and refused correction. Jeremiah found his strength in God alone because he was very alone. Today, we have Internet, social media, mobiles to call our friends, emails to pour out our grievances, televisions to turn on to distract ourselves from the horrors around. Jeremiah had the Lord, but he was probably stronger than many of us today because his times with God gave him mighty strength, power, authority and courage.
Jeremiah was despised, falsely implicated and called a liar, beaten, put in stocks, burned his scroll, and they proclaimed death sentences for he was even left to die in the mud. Never be afraid. Always hold on to the power of prayer. Maybe, it will not be that we die like this.
We too may have to undergo similar sufferings. So many today are undergoing such sufferings today and applaud them for this. Their courage is marked in Heaven and they will receive the Crown of Life, in James 1:12 & Revelation 2:10; it is bestowed upon “those who persevere under trials.” Jesus tells the Church in Smyrna to “Not be afraid of what you are about to suffer…Be faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the Crown of Life.” “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.” (1Peter 4:12-13).
Rita
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