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"MISERIES IN THE MIRE" "Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire." (Jeremiah 38:6)This chapter continues with the ministry of God's prophet Jeremiah. It has always been one of my favorite chapters in Jeremiah. It tells the story of faith, courage, and divine deliverance, which all of us need to be reminded of in our walk with the Lord.We can follow along with Jeremiah here as he goes from the depths of a muddy cistern to a private audience with king Zedekiah. It illustrates the truth that no matter how dire our circumstances may be, God's purposes will always prevail. Satan attempts to assail, but the Lord will always prevail.Now after hearing Jeremiah prophesying the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, 4 officials Shephatiah, Gedaliah, Jucal, and Pashhur feel threatened and request king Zedekiah to have him put to death. The king, lacking the courage to oppose them, grants their request, but has Jeremiah cast into the cistern of Malchiah, where he sinks deep into the mire.During WWII, a submarine was rammed by another ship and quickly sank. Despite the many efforts to rescue the crew, it was feared that their oxygen would run out long before anyone could get to them. Hours into the rescue attempt, the sonar officer, who was listening for any indication of life on the crippled sub, heard a tapping sound, and recognized it as the dots and dashes of Morse Code. He deciphered the message he responded with a question, “Is . . . there . . . any . . . hope?”That is indeed the ultimate question for a child of God during turbulent times full of difficulties, depression, and discouragement, asking, “Is there any hope?” The simple day to day difficulties we all face in life, often cause us to feel overwhelmed and wonder if there is hope. That must certainly have been what Jeremiah was thinking as he sunk into the muddy mire, while his mind swirling with confusion, “I’m doing my best to serve the Lord, in delivering the words He tells me. You would surely think God would take care of me?”Many of us have found ourselves sinking in some muddy mire and wondering the same thing. Christians these days have this false concept that if they are true in their service to God, then everything in life will be easy, pleasant, and smooth sailing.Everyone wants an easy and happy life. No one wakes up in the morning, yawns and thinks, “Wow, I hope I face some pain and difficulty today.” The Bible reminds us that we will face trials and hardships: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1 Pet. 4:12–13)We haven’t been assured an easy life. We will be daily assaulted with trials and hardships. So, is there any hope? Yes, our hope is in God and His promises of peace to those who have surrendered all to His care. Jesus promised, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. ” (John 16:33)If we trust and stand tall, Jesus will give us joy, even in the mire. But there is an even greater promise to hope in, and that is that one day those earthly miseries will end. When we finally finish the race and enter Heaven, we will at last live without hardships and heartaches. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Revelation. 21:4)Friends, the promise to us isn’t that life won’t be hard, for we live in a fallen world. But we don’t have to try and survive it on our own, do we? Oh, Praise God for the peace He gives and that His ever-abiding Presence will be right there beside us during our own "Miseries in the Mire."