“Zedekiah son of Josiah was made king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; he reigned in place of Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim. 2 Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet. 3 King Zedekiah, however, sent Jehukal son of Shelemiah with the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah the prophet with this message: “Please pray to the Lord our God for us.” 4 Now Jeremiah was free to come and go among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison. 5 Pharaoh’s army had marched out of Egypt, and when the Babylonians who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.” Jeremiah 37:1-5 NKJV
“After the Babylonian army had withdrawn from Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army, 12 Jeremiah started to leave the city to go to the territory of Benjamin to get his share of the property among the people there. 13 But when he reached the Benjamin Gate, the captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah, arrested him and said, “You are deserting to the Babylonians!”” Jeremiah 37:11-13 NKJV
“King Zedekiah then gave orders for Jeremiah to be placed in the courtyard of the guard and given a loaf of bread from the street of the bakers each day until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.” Jeremiah 37:21
Father God,
I can’t blame King Zedekiah and Jerusalem for being relieved when their fortunes changed. When the Egyptian Army scared off the Babylonians. And the Egyptians decided to withdraw too and not take them on! Zedekiah must have thought his troubles over. But the Babylonians were playing a waiting game.
Jeremiah can’t win even though he speaks the truth. Because You God have shown him what is coming. So he ends up in prison, but at least he got bread while there was some. You kept him even there in prison Father.
Sometimes we cannot escape the troubles of this world and the behaviour of those around us. Misunderstood? If we abide in Your Word, the truth will set us free (John 8:32) It does not always mean in the literal sense! It speaks about knowing Your truth. Not book learned statements. The truth about who we are and where we are going. We are not condemned (Romans 8:1), not rejected (John 6:37) and not unloved (Romans 8:38-39). Even if life may sometimes make us feel that way. Father give us this day our daily bread to feed our body and our soul.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Thursday 30th July 2026
O great God of highest heaven
Occupy my lowly heart
Own it all and reign supreme
Conquer every rebel power
Let no vice or sin remain
That resists Your holy war
You have loved and purchased me
Make me Yours forevermore
I was blinded by my sin
Had no ears to hear Your voice
Did not know Your love within
Had no taste for heaven’s joys
Then Your Spirit gave me life
Opened up Your Word to me
Through the gospel of Your Son
Gave me endless hope and peace
Help me now to live a life
That’s dependent on Your grace
Keep my heart and guard my soul
From the evils that I face
You are worthy to be praised
With my every thought and deed
O great God of highest heaven
Glorify Your Name through me
You are worthy to be praised
With my every thought and deed
O great God of highest heaven
Glorify Your Name through me
Lyrics: Bob Kauflin