You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. - Isaiah 26:3

Jeremiah wasn't a popular man. In fact, there were many unenviable aspects of his life. But there's something about the prophet's experience to which each of us can aspire.

Notice the words in Jeremiah 34:1: "While Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army...were fighting against Jerusalem and all its surrounding towns, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord." Think of it! Here is an entire nation under siege from its enemies--facing death, destruction, and slavery--and one man among them is in communication with God. One man hears a voice no one else heard. This happened on at least eight different occasions in this book, where we read that "the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah."

Our pastor once told the story of a painting that was named "Peace." It showed two birds. One had built its nest in a meadow, while the other lived in the rocks above the seashore. The bird in the meadow lived in calm, tranquil surroundings. The bird in the rocks along the shore faced the wild winds and high surf, but her nest was dry and safe because it was nestled in the cleft of the rock. The pastor asked which setting most clearly reflected the peace of God for the Christian. As I thought about it, I chose the bird in the cleft of the rock. When tough times come, God gives us peace.

So don't pity Jeremiah's life. Instead, ask the Lord to help you keep in close communion with Him as the winds of adversity blow about your life. And like Jeremiah, you will have a word from God for the people in need around you.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for Your supernatural peace available to me when I'm under attack. Amen.

To Ponder

Our "word from the Lord" comes to us from the Bible, giving us a unique perspective on adversity.