Jeremiah 32:6-15 – Start The Day

“And Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ⁷‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, “Buy my field which is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it.”’ ⁸Then Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord. ⁹So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in Anathoth, and weighed out to him the money—seventeen shekels of silver. ¹⁰And I signed the deed and sealed it, took witnesses, and weighed the money on the scales. ¹¹So I took the purchase deed, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open; ¹²and I gave the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the purchase deed, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the prison. ¹³“Then I charged Baruch before them, saying, ¹⁴‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is sealed and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.” ¹⁵For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.” ’” Jeremiah 32:6-15 NKJV

God who leads,

Jeremiah is in prison but still finding ways to prove he believes what You God are saying to him and Jerusalem. He is acting out his faith even wile in prison, the enemy breathing upon them and God not saving them on this occasion. . . . so why throw money away for land which will never be yours? But Jeremiah needs them to see that now is not forever. He knows You, God have sent his cousin Hanamel to sell him this land. They just want to liquidise their assets.

The answers from God sometimes can take many years. Our prayers are not like purchase requests on the promise of immediate postage. You God, know the timing for the right fulfillment. Jeremiah asks Baruch to keep the deeds in an earthen pot ensuring survival for some time, symbolic for those listening. The exile would not be ended or solved overnight! We do not know if Jeremiah ever got to live on his purchased land – as he was eventually taken to Egypt (Jeremiah 43:6,7.

Help us to see the things before us that we need to do. Help us to see when You show us what to do when things do not change. Help us to see that You are always with us, always listening and answering prayer, even if not as quickly or as we would want, right now.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Saturday 1st August 2026
Shawna wrote about this song, “One night I had an out-of-the-blue thought that I should write a song on prayer. I had a studio session scheduled in 3 days and wanted to record it then. I called my son Gary, he came over and stayed with me most of the night while we wrote this song together.”

If you need a steady hand to guide you
If it seems you’ve somehow lost your way
If you feel there’s no one you can turn to
Just look to God and pray

On your knees or standing at a crossroads
Late at night or in the light of day
In a crowd, a closet, or a chapel
Just look to God and pray

He is there when you’re searching for the answers
He is there when you need a little grace
Any time, anywhere you have a chance to
Seek the One who knows the way
Just pray

When His love continues to amaze you
When you feel your heart begin to change
When you know He gave his Son to save you
Just look to God and pray

Chorus

Bring your doubts, your worries and your faith
Share your hopes and dreams He is listening
There’s no time or distance in the way
The moment you begin, it’s just you and Him

He is there when you’re searching for the answers
He is there when you need a little grace
You’re His child and His love will never fail you
He is with you He will hear you He will stay
Just pray
Just pray

Lyrics: Shawna Edwards and Gary Edwards (2024)

⁶At that time the Lord sent me a message. He said, ⁷“Your cousin Hanamel son of Shallum will come and say to you, ‘Buy my field at Anathoth. By law you have the right to buy it before it is offered to anyone else.’” ⁸Then, just as the Lord had said he would, my cousin Hanamel came and visited me in the prison. He said, “Please buy my field at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. By law you have the right to buy it before it is offered to anyone else, so buy it for yourself.” Then I knew that the message I had heard was from the Lord. ⁹So I bought the field at Anathoth, paying Hanamel seventeen pieces of silver for it. ¹⁰I signed and sealed the deed of purchase before witnesses, weighed out the silver, and paid him. ¹¹Then I took the sealed deed and an unseale copy of the deed, which contained the terms and conditions of the purchase, ¹²and I handed them to Baruch son of Neriah and grandson of Mahseiah. I did all this in the presence of my cousin Hanamel, the witnesses who had signed the deed, and all the men of Judah who were there in the courtyard of the guardhouse. ¹³Then I said to Baruch as they all listened, ¹⁴“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Take both this sealed deed and the unsealed copy, and put them into a pottery jar to preserve them for a long time.’ ¹⁵For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Someday people will again own property here in this land and will buy and sell houses and vineyards and fields.’”
Jeremiah 32:6-15 NLT

God of Israel, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,

Jeremiah has a dream or a vision or hears God. And even though it does not make sense he obeys! I wonder how he felt when his cousin then came and offered him his land as a purchase? Was he encouraged he had heard right? He does not hesitate but buys it and we are told the price in silver so not a token price. And this land would be only about 5 miles from Jerusalem. This would at that time still have been a war zone and looking like it would fall to the Babylonians. So it would have looked like he was throwing away his money not investing.

But he obeyed because he had heard You and even if not for a long time (it took 7 years) You were showing him there would be restoration recovery and a return for those who would be taken captive. It looks easy. He heard and he obeyed. But I wonder if he doubted he had heard. Till his cousin came. Or was it just a coincidence.

Sometimes Lord we wish You would make it clear when You speak to us. Keep the prophetic alive in our day. Sometimes You do speak and we hear the same thing several times and know we must do it. Thank You that You have infinite patience with us. Thank You that You allow us to help You. Thank You that you do not give up on us when we get it wrong. Thank You for investing Your love in us and Your people the church.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Thursday 4th September 2025

Spirit of the Living God
Spirit of the Living God
We only wanna hear your voice
We’re hanging on every word
Spirit of the Living God
Spirit of the Living God
We only wanna hear your voice
We’re hanging on every word

‘Cause when you speak, when you move
When you do what only you can do
It changes us, it changes
What we see and what we seek
When you come in the room
When you do what only you can do
It changes us, it changes
What we see and what we seek
You’re changing everything

Spirit of the Living God
Spirit of the Living God
We’re leaning into all you are
Everything else can wait
Spirit of the Living God
Spirit of the Living God
Come now and breathe upon our hearts
Come now and have your way

‘Cause when you speak, when you move
When you do what only you can do
It changes us, it changes
What we see and what we seek
When you come in the room
When you do what only you can do
It changes us, it changes
What we see and what we seek
You’re changing everything

When you move, you move all our fears
When you move, you move us to tears
When you move, you move all our fears
When you move, you move us to tears

When you fall, we fall on our knees
When you fall, we fall at your feet
God, when you fall, we fall on our knees
When you fall, we fall at your feet

When you speak and when you move
When you do what only you can do
It changes us, it changes
What we see and what we seek
When you come in the room
When you do what only you can do
It changes us, it changes
What we see and what we seek
You’re changing everything

Lyrics: Jacob Sooter and Mia Fieldes