Jeremiah 33:1-9: a reflection

1Moreover the LORD’s word came to Jeremiah the second time, while he was still locked up in the court of the guard, saying, 2“The LORD who does it, the LORD who forms it to establish it—the LORD is his name, says: 3‘Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great and difficult things, which you don’t know.’ 4For the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the houses of this city and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are broken down to make a defense against the mounds and against the sword: 5‘While men come to fight with the Chaldeans, and to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have killed in my anger and in my wrath, and for all whose wickedness I have hidden my face from this city, 6behold, I will bring it health and healing, and I will cure them; and I will reveal to them abundance of peace and truth. 7I will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel, and will build them as at the first. 8I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against me. I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned against me and by which they have transgressed against me. 9This city will be to me for a name of joy, for praise, and for glory, before all the nations of the earth, which will hear all the good that I do to them, and will fear and tremble for all the good and for all the peace that I provide to it.’”

Jeremiah is shut up in prison, and the city around him is under siege, in ruins; and yet it is here, in this place of confinement and ruin, that God speaks a word of great promise. Call to me, God says, and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. And he goes on to promise healing, restoration, cleansing, and pardon for the very people whose sin had brought the ruin. From prison, amid ruins, God invites Jeremiah to call on him, and promises to answer with great things.

Notice God's invitation, given in a place of confinement and ruin: call to me, and I will answer you. God does not wait for better circumstances to invite Jeremiah to call on him; he gives the invitation there, in prison, amid the siege and ruin. And he promises not a small answer, but great and hidden things, things Jeremiah did not know, and beyond that, healing, restoration, cleansing, pardon. The invitation to call on God, and the promise to answer greatly, are given precisely in the hard place.

That invitation is one to take up, especially in our own hard places. God's word to Jeremiah is his word to us: call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great and hidden things you do not know. This invitation is not reserved for good times; it is given, as to Jeremiah, even in confinement and ruin. When you are in a hard place, confined, surrounded by what feels like ruin, do not think God is far or silent; hear his invitation, call to me, and I will answer. Call on God, even from your hard place, and trust his promise to answer, and to show you great things you do not know. He gave this invitation to Jeremiah in prison; he gives it to you in your hard place too. Call on him, and trust him to answer with great things, even from the place of confinement and ruin.

Lord, Jeremiah was shut in prison, the city around him under siege and in ruins, and yet there you spoke a word of promise: call to me, and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things you have not known; and you promised healing, restoration, cleansing, and pardon. Let me take up that invitation, especially in my own hard places. Your word to Jeremiah is your word to me: call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great and hidden things you do not know. This invitation is not reserved for good times; it is given, as to Jeremiah, even in confinement and ruin. When I am in a hard place, confined, surrounded by what feels like ruin, keep me from thinking you are far or silent; help me hear your invitation, call to me, and I will answer. Help me call on you, even from my hard place, and trust your promise to answer, and to show me great things I do not know. You gave this invitation to Jeremiah in prison; you give it to me in my hard place too. Help me call on you, Lord, and trust you to answer with great things, even from the place of confinement and ruin. I call to you; answer me, and show me great things.