Bearing Burdens

“Have You utterly rejected Judah? … We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against You … Do not break Your covenant with us … We will wait for You.”—Jeremiah 14:19–22 NKJV

Jeremiah personally had not committed the sins that led to Judah’s troubles. And God was not angry with him. He could have felt that the people were getting what they deserved. Instead, he had compassion on them. He felt the hurt and pain experienced throughout the nation. He even took on himself the sins of his people and pleaded their case before God.

When he prayed, he spoke in the first person: “Why have You stricken us so that there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but there was no good; and for the time of healing, and there was trouble” (v. 19). Some people may not have repented, but Jeremiah confessed on their behalf and pleaded for God’s forgiveness.

Jeremiah’s actions remind us that Jesus cared so much for sinners that He didn’t just pray for them; He died on the cross for them, taking upon Himself the sins of the world. And He prayed for those who were crucifying Him, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).

Today, ask God to give you a burden for souls and to help you be sensitive to the needs of people all around you. Remember to “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). Seek to be a person of compassion. Pray for those with needs. And give of your resources that more souls may find Jesus.

Reflection Question: Compose a prayer asking God to fill your heart with compassion.