Call to Me!
1The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard: 2“Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it—the LORD is his name: 3Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. —Jeremiah 33:1-3
How many words do you speak in a day? The average person speaks 34,000 words a day. That same person admits, "I haven't read a book in like six months." No, but you talk a half a book every day! If we're all talking a half a book a day, how many of those words—is there even a page of dialogue with God? When was the last time you gave half a chapter in a single day to the God who says, “Call to Me?”
Now, notice the word call. That's an invitation to intensity. God invites us not to whimper to Him or to whisper to Him. God is not, "Say something to Me."
“How do you want us to talk to You, God?
"I want you to call."
That's an expression of urgency, intensity, and fervency. It’s an invitation to shameless and loud intimacy! God says, “Call to Me.”
The implication of God’s invitation is that it allows us to call any time and all the time. We’ve got 24/7 access to our heavenly Father. But the situation in which Jeremiah found himself when this invitation was issued holds a significant lesson for us. “The word of the LORDcame to Jeremiah (that’s glory coming down here) a second timewhile he was shut up in the court of the guard” (v.1). That’s a way of saying he was under guard—in prison. In one way or another he was restricted. Based on parallel experiences, we can say we sometimes find ourselves in some kind of a prison. We can identify with being “shut up in the court of the guard.”
“I'm locked in. I can't get out of this situation with my job, with my health, with my family. I feel like I am imprisoned by my circumstances right now. What should I do?”
We listen in as God says, "Hey, Jeremiah, how's it going for you today?"
"Not great. I'm in prison for You. Things are not looking up. What do you want me to do now?"
"Call to Me, son; call to Me."
Can you hear God extending that same standing invitation to you? “Call to Me, My child!”
—James MacDonald
Journal
· Where in my life am I “hemmed in” and feeling “trapped and imprisoned” right now?
· In what ways have I sensed God saying to me, “Call to Me,” in these circumstances?
Prayer – Father, You knew where Jeremiah was and how he was feeling when this was written. You came to him. Thank You for all the times when I’ve been so consumed and distracted by my circumstances and You’ve “shown up” in some unexpected way that caught my attention. Thank You for drawing near so that I might be reminded to call to You! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
