OCTOBER 6, 2014
A
Faithful Helper
Read: Jeremiah
20:7-13
The Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome One. —Jeremiah 20:11
As a young boy, my
father had to deliver slop to hungry pigs on the farm where he grew up. He
hated this job because the hogs would knock him over when he entered their pen.
This task might have been impossible except for a faithful helper who
accompanied my dad—a German shepherd named Sugarbear. She would maneuver
herself between my father and the pigs and hold them back until my dad finished
his chore.
The prophet Jeremiah
had the difficult job of proclaiming God’s messages to the Israelites. This
required him to endure physical abuse, verbal attacks, imprisonment, and
isolation. Although Jeremiah struggled with deep discouragement, he had a
Helper through all of his trouble. God promised him, “I am with you . . . to
deliver you” (Jer. 1:19).
God did not desert
Jeremiah, and He will not desert us. We have His continual aid through the
power of the Spirit who lives inside every believer (John 14:16-17). The Helper
gives us hope (Rom. 15:13), steers us toward spiritual truth (John 16:13), and
pours out God’s love in our hearts (Rom. 5:5). We can trust that God faithfully
helps us as we endure hardship. We can say with Jeremiah, “The Lord is with me
as a mighty, awesome One” (Jer. 20:11).
You, God, have been
our help forever.
And You are our hope
now and into eternity.
We thank You that You
will never desert us.
You will be faithful.
Our greatest hope here
below is help from God above.
Insight
Knowing that God
called him to a difficult ministry, Jeremiah endured much persecution while
striving to remain faithful to his calling (Jer. 20:1-6). His suffering caused
him to question that calling (vv.7-10), but he was quick to reaffirm God’s
sovereignty (vv.11-13).
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
