Obeying God... Even When It Doesn't Make Sense - Jeremiah: Week 36

Devotional

Day 1: Field Purchase in a Siege

Jeremiah stood in a prison courtyard as Babylonian armies surrounded Jerusalem. God told him to buy his cousin’s field—a worthless plot in a doomed city. With witnesses present, Jeremiah weighed seventeen shekels of silver, signed deeds, and sealed them in a clay jar. The act defied logic: land would soon belong to invaders. Yet he obeyed, trusting God’s command over his own understanding. [15:14]

God used Jeremiah’s obedience as a living prophecy. The sealed deeds declared that fields would again be bought in this land. Babylon’s siege seemed final, but God’s promises outlast empires. Jesus later proved this pattern: His death looked like defeat, but resurrection rewrote the story.

You face moments when God’s direction clashes with practicality. Obedience often feels like buying land in a warzone—foolish until God reveals His purpose. What “field” is God asking you to purchase today, even if the timing seems wrong?

“I bought the field from Hanamel… and weighed out to him the money—seventeen shekels of silver. I signed and sealed the deed, had it witnessed, and put the deed in a clay jar to last a long time.”
(Jeremiah 32:9-10, 14, NKJV)

Prayer: Ask God for courage to obey one illogical step He’s shown you.
Challenge: Write down one action you’ve rationalized away—do it within 24 hours.

Day 2: Prison Prayers and Unanswered Whys

Jeremiah praised God’s power in his prison-cell prayer: “Nothing is too hard for You.” Yet he still questioned, “Why tell me to buy this field when the city falls to Babylon?” He listed God’s past miracles but struggled to reconcile them with present ruin. Honest doubt, framed in reverence, became the bridge to deeper trust. [22:14]

God didn’t scold Jeremiah’s questions. He reaffirmed His sovereignty: “I am the Lord of all flesh. Is anything too hard for Me?” The answer wasn’t explanation but invitation—to believe restoration would follow judgment.

Many of us bury doubts, fearing they dishonor God. But He welcomes raw prayers if they lead to surrender. Where have you stopped praying because your “why” feels too messy?

“Ah, Lord God! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power… Great in counsel and mighty in work… yet You say to me, ‘Buy the field.’”
(Jeremiah 32:17, 19, 25, NKJV)

Prayer: Confess one doubt aloud, then declare, “Yet I trust You.”
Challenge: Text a trusted friend one fear you’ve hidden—ask them to pray.

Day 3: Clay Jars and Long Obedience

Jeremiah buried the land deed in a clay jar—a fragile vessel for a seventy-year promise. God vowed to regather exiles, replant vineyards, and renew His covenant. The jar symbolized hope: what seemed buried would resurface. Jeremiah’s act required faith in slow, unseen redemption. [31:01]

Jesus later sealed a greater covenant in His blood, guaranteeing eternal restoration. Like Jeremiah, we’re called to plant seeds for harvests we may never see. Every act of obedience stocks God’s “clay jar” of faithfulness.

What long-term obedience have you neglected because results aren’t visible? Fixing marriages, mentoring kids, or serving faithfully often feel like burying deeds in wartime. Will you trust the jar?

“They will be My people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart… so they will never turn from Me.”
(Jeremiah 32:38-39, NKJV)

Prayer: Thank God for one promise He’s kept over years.
Challenge: Write a future date on paper—commit to pray daily until then for a stubborn situation.

Day 4: Lunch Invitations Unspoken

Megan ignored God’s nudge to invite Claire to lunch. Weeks later, she learned Claire transferred offices, carrying silent pain from a divorce. Megan’s stomach sank—not from sin, but surrendered opportunity. Overthinking had masqueraded as wisdom, freezing her into inaction. [02:53]

Jesus modeled immediate obedience: He spoke to the Samaritan woman despite cultural barriers. Delayed obedience often becomes disobedience, as Satan weaponizes “rational” delays.

Who have you avoided because outreach feels awkward? People rarely reject kindness—but they may leave before you act. What relationship is fading while you wait for a “perfect moment”?

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.”
(Proverbs 3:27, NKJV)

Prayer: Ask God to highlight one person needing your courage today.
Challenge: Invite someone isolated to coffee—today.

Day 5: Tears in the Break Room

Megan finally asked Claire to lunch. Over sandwiches, Claire wept, sharing her divorce’s loneliness. That yes birthed months of prayer, friendship, and Claire’s salvation. Years later, Megan marveled: a small “illogical” step became a lifeline. Obedience unlocks blessings analysis can’t predict. [46:54]

Jesus told Peter to cast nets in daylight—a foolish request that filled boats. God’s kingdom thrives on faithful absurdities: lunch invites, forgiven enemies, generous tithes.

What “yes” have you postponed for fear of awkwardness? Every miracle begins with someone looking foolish. Where could your risk bring resurrection?

“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up.”
(Galatians 6:9, NKJV)

Prayer: Thank God for a past obedience that still bears fruit.
Challenge: Share a faith story with someone—today.

Sermon Summary

Jeremiah stands imprisoned as Babylon besieges Jerusalem, yet receives a startling command to buy a family field in Anathoth. The purchase defies every practical measure: land faces conquest, exile looms, and the buyer has no family or future to inherit it. The transaction nevertheless proceeds publicly, with witnesses, sealed deeds, and careful procedure, because the act functions as a prophetic sign that the land will one day belong to God’s people again. That sign links judgment and hope, showing that divine discipline aims toward restoration rather than annihilation.

The narrative unfolds three clear spiritual truths. First, God frequently calls people to actions that contradict worldly logic. Obedience can look foolish or wasteful to pragmatic minds, but the demand to trust God often requires stepping beyond what feels safe or sensible. Second, honest questions about God’s commands do not constitute rejection; respectful, faith-shaped inquiry belongs before God. Jeremiah models this by beginning with praise and the memory of God’s mighty deeds, then articulating confusion and objection while acknowledging God’s sovereignty. Third, when hesitation arises, God’s answer centers on trust. The divine reply both affirms the coming judgment and promises an eventual, multifaceted restoration: return from exile, renewed covenant relationship, and deeper fulfillments in Christ and the last days.

A modern illustration sharpens the point. A woman repeatedly feels nudged to invite a lonely coworker to lunch but reasons herself out of it. That silence later prompts regret when the coworker’s suffering becomes known. In contrast, a simple act of obedience reimagines brokenness as opportunity: a single invitation leads to months of care, church attendance, and eventual conversion. The story amplifies the sermon’s call: examine motives, stop overanalyzing, and obey when conviction aligns with Scripture. Practical obedience will often cost comfort and certainty, but it also becomes the means by which God demonstrates faithfulness, fulfills promises, and brings about unexpected good for others and for his kingdom.

Key Takeaways

1. Obedience can defy human logic God’s calls often run counter to practical sense, inviting choices that look irrational by worldly standards. Trusting God requires willingness to act when outcomes appear unlikely or costly, because divine purposes can rewrite immediate circumstances into long-term restoration. Obedience becomes a prophetic witness that God remains sovereign even in ruin. [04:38]
2. Fear and reason mask disobedience Overanalysis often dresses itself as prudence and wisdom, but habitual rationalizing avoids the costly obedience faith demands. Recognize when reasonable questions become excuses that protect comfort rather than pursue God’s will. Confession of that tendency opens the way to faithful action. [15:14]
3. Bring questions to God reverently Honest questioning proves faithful when it begins with praise and trust, not rebellion or cynicism. Frame doubts within worship and the memory of God’s past acts so inquiry seeks clarity and submission rather than justification for disobedience. This posture invites God’s guiding word without relinquishing integrity. [22:14]
4. Trust yields promised restoration Judgment and promise coexist in God’s dealings; divine discipline aims toward renewal and covenantal blessing. Acts of faith, even when symbolically small, anticipate and enact God’s future restoration across multiple horizons. Trust moves people from present despair into participation in God’s unfolding redemption. [37:06]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:19] - Opening confession about obedience
[01:17] - Megan and the quiet nudge
[04:38] - Truth 1: God asks the nonsensical
[06:31] - Historical context: siege and captivity
[15:14] - Jeremiah buys the field in Anathoth
[22:14] - Prayerful questioning modeled
[31:01] - God’s command: trust me
[37:06] - Promise of restoration and covenant
[45:50] - Alternate outcome from obedience
[48:07] - Call to stop overanalyzing
[48:22] - Closing prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Jeremiah 32:6-15 (NKJV)
Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NKJV)

Observation questions

In Jeremiah 32, what specific circumstances made Jeremiah’s purchase of the field seem illogical (e.g., siege, exile, lack of heirs)?
How did Jeremiah structure his prayer in Jeremiah 32:16-25? What did he acknowledge about God before voicing his confusion?
What practical steps did Jeremiah take to ensure the land transaction was legally binding and public (Jeremiah 32:9-12)?
In the sermon illustration, what reasons did Megan initially give herself for not obeying the nudge to reach out to Claire? [01:35]

Interpretation questions

Why might God have chosen a land purchase—a tangible, public act—as the sign of future restoration for Israel?
Jeremiah’s prayer begins with praise before expressing doubt. How does this model a faithful way to bring questions to God?
God’s response in Jeremiah 32:27-44 intertwines judgment and hope. How do these two themes work together to reveal His character?
The sermon mentioned the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). How does this covenant deepen the promise of restoration beyond physical return from exile?

Application questions

When has obeying God felt irrational or countercultural in your life? What fears or “logical” objections did you wrestle with, and how did you respond?
Jeremiah’s prayer blended reverence with honesty. How could you incorporate this balance into your own prayers when facing confusion or doubt?
The sermon warned that “overanalysis often disguises itself as prudence” [15:14]. What is one area where you tend to overthink obedience? What small step could you take to act instead of analyze?
Megan’s story showed how a single act of obedience can ripple into unexpected blessings. Is there a “simple yes” you feel prompted to act on this week, even if it feels uncomfortable?
God’s promise to Israel included future generations (Jeremiah 32:39). How might trusting God’s long-term faithfulness change how you approach decisions that impact your family or community?

Sermon Clips

So the question comes back to why did God have Jeremiah by that field? Friends, he had him by that field as a sign and as a promise. A promise that fields will be bought and sold in that land again. That the land, the promised land will be possessed again by the Israelites and by his people. Amen? And they will prosper in the land. [00:39:16] (31 seconds) #PromiseOfRestoration

Weeks later, Megan learned that Claire Claire had quietly been going through a painful divorce and had since transferred to another office. When Megan heard that, her stomach sank. Nothing dramatic had happened. Megan hadn't committed some terrible public sin. She had simply reasoned her way out of obedience. As she sat at her desk, she wondered how often fear and overthinking had disguised themselves as wisdom in her life. [00:02:43] (39 seconds) #OverthinkingCostsObedience

But what if Megan, instead of talking herself out of talking to Claire, what if Megan had been obedient? What if Megan had been obedient to what God felt what she felt God calling her to do? What if when she felt God leading her to reach out to Claire, instead of questioning it, instead of overthinking or an overanalyzing the situation, instead of waiting for just the right moment, friends, what if she just listened to God and obeyed? Maybe the situation could have turned out differently. [00:45:31] (34 seconds) #ObeyDontOverthink

What if when what God says doesn't make sense? What if we just trusted God and obeyed him in whatever it is he's asked us to do. I wanna just for a minute to go back to the story that I get told you at the beginning about Megan. Remember Megan? Megan had so many regrets about what she should have done. Shoulda, woulda, coulda. We've all been there. Amen? But instead of obeying God, she always seemed to be one of those people that overanalyzed and she talked herself out of doing what God asked her to do. [00:44:52] (39 seconds) #TrustWhenItDoesntMakeSense

Friends, we're good at coming up with objections. Amen? We're good at coming up with excuses and questioning what God asked us to do. We're good at rationalizing and defending what we wanna do. When was the last time you just simply said, okay, Lord, I don't understand why you want me to do this. It's contrary to what I wanna do, and it's it it even even contrary to what I feel God, don't feel comfortable doing this. It's contrary to what I feel comfortable doing. It doesn't even make sense to me, but God, I am going to do it anyway because I know that it's what you want me to do. [00:29:46] (43 seconds) #ChooseObedienceOverExcuses

Friends, when God asks us to do something, it doesn't make sense to us, we come up with all sorts of objections, don't we? But God, how am I gonna have time to do that, God? But God, you want me to stay with my marriage? Well, but he or she treats me terribly. But God, you want me to do that, but I need God, I can't give to that. I need my money, this money to pay my bills. God, you want me to go here or there or serve you here? I can't leave my family. God, what about my friends and my my my my my home? [00:29:13] (34 seconds) #StopMakingObjections

Maybe maybe it's like living by his standards in a world that doesn't respect him. Friends, I could go on and on and on and on. As we talk about things that God asked us to do that don't make sense, can I give you a secret? Don't tell anybody. Okay? Don't tell anybody. Most of the things God asks us to do as Christians, the things that God really asks us to do, not the things that we we think we need to do, but the things that God asks us to do as Christians don't make sense according to the world. [00:20:19] (39 seconds) #WorldVsGodsCommands

This guy named Jesus came to die for me. Why would he die for me? I don't need anybody to die for me. It doesn't make sense humanly speaking, but what God says is that we're all separated from him by our sin and we're gonna spend eternity in hell. But good news is God sent his son Jesus to die on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins so that you can spend eternity with him forever and ever and ever and ever in heaven. Amen? Amen. Amen. [00:19:05] (23 seconds) #JesusDiedForYou

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