A promise

I missed updating yesterday as I was highly distracted and had a lot of thoughts running through my mind.  Even my usual quiet time with my pipe was cut short.  I did read the scripure, but felt like I was in a dry spot.  To be honest, I was not mentally prepared to receive any insight or knowledge from them.  It wasn't a wasted time, as reading the scriptures never is.  But I just couldn't concentrate.

I did get several new pipes from my good friend, Kirk (Briar Spirit) in the UK.  Beautiful pipes, each and every one of them.  I fired up a bowl in the one that called my name the loudest, and enjoyed a truly smooth smoke.  I was smoking some Carter Hall (not one of my favorites) but it was a good baccy for breaking in a pipe.  I think I will try using some CH as a burley base for blending some tobaccos. I had an aromatic baccy in it today and is smoked it perfectly down to a fine grey ash.  This is probably the best smoking pipe I have had of his to date. 

I had a good, busy day today, and finally got to sit down and read the Bible a little bit this evening. I was in a much better frame of mind to receive from the Lord.  The following passage caught my eye, and it was if the Lord told me to stop and really understand what He was saying.

Jeremiah 33:1-3 NKJV

Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the prison, saying, “Thus says the Lord  who made it, the Lord who formed it to establish it (the Lord  is His name): ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'

To me, this is an encouraging passage.  First notice where Jeremiah is... in prison.  He was in a trying time in his life.  No way out of the current situation was immediately available.  Now, during this time, what was Jeremiah doing?  Was he moaning about his circumstances?   Not according to this verse.  It instead implies that Jeremiah was listening for God to speak.  For when God spoke, Jeremiah heard.  As we know from other Scriptures,  the voice of the Lord is heard in quiet.  It is a "still small voice"  it requires active listening and focus to hear.  So, in the midst of trials and discomfort,  God spoke to Jeremiah.

He says, "call to me, and I will answer you."  Wow, what a promise!   There is no prerequisites other than to call unto God.  But even more interesting than the promise of an answer is thevsecond part of the promise.  "And, I will show you great and mighty things, which you do not know."  Notice what is not promised.... Deliverence from the situation.  God didn't tell Jeremiah that He would get him out of prison, or even make his time in prison easier.  He said He would show Jeremiah new things.  

Sometimes,  we have to be in a rough spot in order to be receptive to the Word of God.  God is not wanting bad things for us.  Jeremiah wasn't being tortured or beaten that we can tell, just in a situation that he couldn't escape from.  God, instead of delivering Jeremiah,  took his mind off the circumstances and showed Jeremiah new things, interesting things, visions and prophecies.   This captivity turned out to be a good thing in the long run as Jeremiah listened to God and learned what God was trying to teach him.

I have heard it said that God always answers prayer with one of three answers, yes, no, and wait.  In this case, it was "wait and learn"  What situation are you in that you can't escape?  Open your mind and heart to God.  Listen to what He wants to show you.  It may just surprise you and help you down the road.  Jeremiah eventually was granted freedom once he learned what God wanted to show him.