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Daily Devotions

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 
Day 
Day 242

"Cursed be the day in which I was born!"

Text: Jeremiah 20:14

PRAYER OF JEREMIAH IV

Jeremiah’s joy was unfortunately rather short-lived! The reality of the harassment he had to endure prevailed! The prophet’s feelings are not to be despised. They remind us that we are but mortals prone to weaknesses!

“Cursed be the day in which I was born!
Let the day not be blessed in which my mother bore me!
Let the man be cursed
Who brought news to my father, saying,
‘A male child has been born to you!’
Making him very glad.
And let that man be like the cities
Which the LORD overthrew, and did not relent;
Let him hear the cry in the morning
And the shouting at noon,
Because he did not kill me from the womb,
That my mother might have been my grave,
And her womb always enlarged with me.
Why did I come forth from the womb to see labour and sorrow,
That my days should be consumed with shame?”
Jeremiah 20:14-18

1. “Cursed be the day in which I was born! Let the day not be blessed in which my mother bore me!”

a) Expressing “a curse”.
i) This was not a curse on anyone.
ii) There is no real “power” behind such “curses”.
b) It is an expression of:
i) Deep sorrow.
ii) Depressing feelings.
c) The birth of a child was usually a happy event.
d) Jeremiah could not share in this sentiment of joy!

2. “Let the man be cursed who brought news to my father, saying,
‘A male child has been born to you!’ Making him very glad”

a) The word “curse” is to be understood as defined above.
b) Jeremiah was not actually cursing the bearer of news to his father.
c) The birth process was not witnessed by the father in the ancient days.
d) The father awaits news of the birth of his child.
e) The father is informed after the baby is born and of course, this brings gladness to the father’s heart.
f) Jeremiah was so upset with his lot in life, he “cursed” the bearer of news.

3. “And let that man be like the cities which the LORD overthrew, and did not relent;
let him hear the cry in the morning and the shouting at noon”

a) Jeremiah felt the sorrow of those whose cities were overthrown.
b) Those who have suffered such a loss has nothing to rejoice in.

4. “Because he did not kill me from the womb, that my mother might have been my grave,
and her womb always enlarged with me”

a) He sorrowed that he was not stillborn!
b) If only he had died in his mother’s womb!

5. “Why did I come forth from the womb to see labour and sorrow,
that my days should be consumed with shame?”

a) Jeremiah’s life was filled with:
i) Labour
ii) Sorrow
iii) Shame
b) He found it hard to bear with persistent suffering inflicted by enemies!