‘Call on me in prayer and I will answer you. I will show you great and mysterious[b] things that you still do not know about.’ Jeremiah 33:2-3 NET
This commonly quoted Scripture brings encouragement and intrigue, and surely captivates us with the possibility of discovering the deeper things of God. However, we must remember the humble place in which Jeremiah was given this invitation and be ready for its reality. Jeremiah was detained by the guards of his own king (Jeremiah 32:1 – 2); the very predictions the Lord had given him to speak to God’s people had gotten him locked up! In the prophet’s imprisonment, the Lord beckoned Jeremiah, offering conversation and companionship, creating a bond that would escort him to the inner counsel of the Lord’s will.
And we receive the same offer. Void of our own abilities, powerless and pitiful, our humility can forge such a prayer-union. The complete emptying of our resolve and resources makes us ready for revealing God’s. Jesus Himself was willing to enter this lowly, earthy way of humble prayers:
And He tells them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch.” Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and began praying that if possible this hour might pass Him by. And He was saying, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You! Take this cup from Me! Yet not what I will, but what You will.” Mark 14:34-36 TLV
Isaiah foretold the Savior’s surrender to lowliness, crumbled among criminals, and revealed the prayer-nature of His Passion:
He will divide the riches with the strong, because He gave up His life. They thought of Him as One Who broke the Law. Yet He Himself carried the sin of many, and prayed for the sinners. Isaiah 53:12 NLV
The Lord highly values humble places because they bring us to humble prayers with Him; through desperate, down-and-out dependence, Jesus establishes intimacy with Him, our Teacher.
For you people will live on Zion in Jerusalem and will never cry again. He will show favor to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears, He will answer you. The Lord will give you meager bread and water during oppression, but your Teacher[a] will not hide Himself[b] any longer. Your eyes will see your Teacher,[c] and whenever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.” Isaiah 30:19-21 HCSB
O Lord, You have heard the prayers of those who have no pride. You will give strength to their heart, and You will listen to them. Psalm 10:17 NLV
My sheep respond as they hear My voice; I know them intimately, and they follow Me. I give them a life that is unceasing, and death will not have the last word. Nothing or no one can steal them from My hand. John 10:27-28 VOICE
All who are oppressed may come to Yahweh as a high shelter in the time of trouble, a perfect hiding place. For everyone who knows your wonderful name keeps putting their trust in you. They can count on you for help no matter what, O Lord, you will never, no never, neglect those who come to you. Psalm 9:9-10 TPT
Job: I know You can do everything; nothing You do can be foiled or frustrated. You asked, “Who is this that conceals counsel with empty words void of knowledge?” And now I see that I spoke of—but did not comprehend—great wonders that are beyond me. I didn’t know. Job 42:2-3 VOICE
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). John 20:16 NIV
Prayer: O Lord, may difficulty draw me to your place of humble prayers. May I never hesitate to call on you here. Though the world tries to convince me of the futility of troubled times and offers ways to avoid such pain, your Word promises meaningful, purposeful reward through hardship: To know You (Job 42:3). May I hear your voice here (Isaiah 30:21, John 10:27) and see things I did not see or know before (Job 42:2-3, Isaiah 30:20; Jeremiah 33:3). May I be overcome by your love and know deep in my heart that we will never be separated (John 10:28, Romans 8:35, 39). Because of hardship we will have a deeper, more intimate relationship, a fabulous trust forged in the deep, dark places. Thank you for praying for me (Isaiah 53:12).
Who will condemn? Christ Jesus, who died, or rather rose again, who is at God’s right hand and intercedes for us?[a] Who then can separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword?… For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth,[i] nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8: 34-35, 38-39 NCB
Grounded in God is a devotions series lingering in the facets of humility from Isaiah 53. Our Savior’s greatest gift to us came through His humiliation detailed in this earthy passage. Humiliation … humility… humus… hmmm… perhaps the garden is a unique host to God’s purposes in humility, already grounded in humus-filled soil. Let these one-a-week, Scripture compositions draw you to God’s Words for simple consideration, cultivating a special intimacy with the Lord through the Lenten season.
Portions of this devotion are taken from, “Humility on Hands and Knees,” part of the Garden Tools section on Humility in God’s Word for Gardeners Bible, beginning on pages a-38 & a-39
Read more on Jesus’ Gethsemane prayer from Mark 14:34-36 in the Devotions Blog “Pinnacle of Garden Prayers”
Photo Credits: Shelley S. Cramm Lenten roses begin blooming in the Lenten season, and I always think of their little bowed faces as bent over in humility to the Lord.
HCSB denotes Scripture quotations taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
NET designates Scripture quoted by permission from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved. [a] see footnotes here
NCB denotes Scripture taken from the SAINT JOSEPH NEW CATHOLIC BIBLE® Copyright © 2019 by Catholic Book Publishing Corp. Used with permission. All rights reserved. [a] see footnotes here
NIV denotes Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®
NLV denotes Scripture quotations taken from the New Life Version, copyright © 1969 and 2003. Used by permission of Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683. All rights reserved.
TLV denotes Scripture quotation taken from Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
TPT denotes Scripture quotations taken from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com
VOICE denotes Scripture quotations taken from The Voice™. Copyright © 2012 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
