Something to think about:
"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known" (Jeremiah 33:3) is a verse often quoted in relation to Bible study. It certainly is an appropriate scripture to think about in that regard. We only understand the deeper things of God's word to the extent that he opens our mind to see them, and we do need to ask to see them. That may seem like a very basic principle, but it's always one we must remember.
Yet that is not the only meaning of Jeremiah 33:3. If we look at the context of this particular verse it actually has nothing to do with study of God's word, but it is concerned with a situation in which God reminds the prophet that he will answer the prayer to understand deep or problematic aspects of life if he is asked. The context is one of the suffering the nation of Judah was experiencing as a result of its sins. God tells Jeremiah in this context: “Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever” (vs. 11), and we see that the understanding God promises in verse 3 has to do with that situation.
God allows individuals – and sometimes nations – to suffer when they sin or as a result of the sins of others – but he promises to help us understand his purpose in this, his underlying intent and his love that lie behind the suffering. It's an essential part of learning to have faith in the God who controls all outcomes. He offers to help us understand these troubling and often disheartening aspects of life when we suffer – but we need to ask in order to hear.
So don't forget Jeremiah 33:3 (chapter and verse numbers don't come any easier to remember than this one!). It's a verse we can apply in many aspects of our lives, and especially when we, or others, suffer.
"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known" (Jeremiah 33:3) is a verse often quoted in relation to Bible study. It certainly is an appropriate scripture to think about in that regard. We only understand the deeper things of God's word to the extent that he opens our mind to see them, and we do need to ask to see them. That may seem like a very basic principle, but it's always one we must remember.
Yet that is not the only meaning of Jeremiah 33:3. If we look at the context of this particular verse it actually has nothing to do with study of God's word, but it is concerned with a situation in which God reminds the prophet that he will answer the prayer to understand deep or problematic aspects of life if he is asked. The context is one of the suffering the nation of Judah was experiencing as a result of its sins. God tells Jeremiah in this context: “Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever” (vs. 11), and we see that the understanding God promises in verse 3 has to do with that situation.
God allows individuals – and sometimes nations – to suffer when they sin or as a result of the sins of others – but he promises to help us understand his purpose in this, his underlying intent and his love that lie behind the suffering. It's an essential part of learning to have faith in the God who controls all outcomes. He offers to help us understand these troubling and often disheartening aspects of life when we suffer – but we need to ask in order to hear.
So don't forget Jeremiah 33:3 (chapter and verse numbers don't come any easier to remember than this one!). It's a verse we can apply in many aspects of our lives, and especially when we, or others, suffer.
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