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Jeremiah 14 “Intercession for the People of Judah”

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3–5 minutes

Jeremiah 14 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:                                                            

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

Explanation:

During Jeremiah’s ministry, there was a time when a severe drought struck Judah. Because of it, not only people but also plants and animals suffered greatly (vv. 1–6). Jeremiah understood this as God’s judgment on the sins of the people of Judah, and he pleaded with God not to abandon them forever. Their only hope was the Lord who dwelt among them (vv. 7–9). However, the Lord declared that His judgment had already been determined (v. 10) and commanded Jeremiah not to pray for them (vv. 11–12). God also said that those prophets who falsely proclaimed peace to the people had nothing to do with Him and that they too would be judged along with the people of Judah (vv. 13–16).

Then the Lord told Jeremiah to convey to the people how deeply He Himself grieved over the disaster that was about to come (vv. 17–18). Jeremiah, in turn, cried out to God. Even though the Lord had said that interceding for Judah would be useless and that judgment was irreversible, Jeremiah could not stop praying. His compassion for the people moved him to intercede, even knowing that judgment must come. He acknowledged that Judah’s sins fully deserved God’s judgment, yet he still pleaded for God not to destroy them (vv. 19–22).

Meditation:

The strongest force that moves a person to pray for others is compassion. In the New Testament, the Greek word used for “compassion” describes a deep, gut-wrenching emotion — a feeling that twists one’s insides. To feel compassion for another person means to feel their pain as your own.

When Jeremiah prayed for the people of Judah, he used the pronoun “we” (v. 7). Although he was a righteous man before God, he saw himself as one with the people of Judah who deserved judgment for their sins. Because he identified himself with them, he experienced in advance the pain that would come upon them. Out of that shared pain, he interceded for Judah. The Lord had told him not to pray for the people because judgment had already been decreed. Yet Jeremiah could not stop praying for them — his love for them was too deep to remain silent.

“Who is included in my prayer?” This question reveals how much we share in the heart of the Lord. Intercessory prayer is not made because we are certain of an answer, but because we trust God and love the people we are praying for. How God chooses to use our prayers is up to Him. The Lord may choose to answer or to refuse, but even His refusal is an answer — because the goal of prayer is for His will to be done.

Prayer:

Lord, give us greater faith in You and deeper love for people. Help us to hold more people in our prayers. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: Jeremiah loved his people so much that he prayed for them even when God said judgment was coming. His compassion reflected God’s own heart of love.

  • For Preschool-Elementary
    • Jeremiah prayed for people who did wrong things. Who is someone you can pray for, even if they make mistakes?
    • What do you think it means to “feel someone’s pain”? How can we show love to friends who are sad or hurt?
    • When you pray, how does it make you feel knowing that God listens to you, even if the answer is “not yet”?
  • Youth
    • Jeremiah kept praying for his people, even when he didn’t see any results. Have you ever prayed for someone for a long time? What kept you going?
    • Compassion means feeling others’ pain as your own. Can you think of a time when you deeply cared about someone’s struggle? How did you respond?
    • Sometimes God’s answer is silence or “no.” How can we still trust God and continue to love people through prayer in those moments?

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