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Daily Devotions

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 
Day 
Day 50

"My Father, You are the guide of my youth"

Text: Jeremiah 3:4

SEEKING GOD IN PRAYER

Prayer was a privilege that the children of Israel had taken for granted. Prayer involves a special relationship with God that needs to be understood and sustained.

“Will you not from this time cry to Me,
‘My Father, You are the guide of my youth?
Will He remain angry forever?
Will He keep it to the end?’
Behold, you have spoken and done evil things,
As you were able.”
Jeremiah 3:4-5

1. “Will you not from this time cry to Me, ‘My Father, You are the guide of my youth?'”

a) The LORD was the One who prompted Judah with this question.
i) God may instruct and encourage.
ii) But the onus of praying lies with the believer.
b) Crying out to God.
i) Surely, this is not difficult at all!
ii) The question was whether Judah was going to respond positively.
c) Crying out to false deities (Baal and Astoreth).
i) Praying to these deities was in vain.
ii) These deities could not give them the desired rainfall.
d) Relating to God as Father and Guide.
i) God had been a Father to the children of Israel all the while.
ii) Bu these were children who did not know their Father nor bothered to relate to Him.
iii) God had been their Guide from their youth!
e) But crying out to God would require humble repentance!
Judah was not prepared to humble itself before God!

2. “Will He remain angry forever? Will He keep it to the end?”

a) Judah seemed to have gotten used to God’s anger.
b) The nation no longer feared His anger.
c) It reasoned in this manner:
Will God remain angry forever? Will He keep His anger to the end?
d) The answer was No!
e) Their response was to ignore God’s anger!

3. “Behold, you have spoken and done evil things, as you were able.”

a) Judah’s attitude towards God and life.
i) It had spoken evil.
ii) It had done evil.
b) Judah did whatever it wished, as it was able.
i) With no reference to God.
ii) With little or no care as to its deeds, even if they were evil ones.