CALL UPON ME 
 

Jeremiah 33:1-3  
 
ILLUS: In one small church, the minister called the children to come down front every Sunday and then he’d tell them a story. Once he brought a telephone to better illustrate the idea of prayer.  “You talk to people on the telephone and don’t see them on the other end of the line, right?” he began.  The children nodded yes.  “Well, talking to God is like talking on the telephone. He’s on the other end, but you can’t see him. He’s listening, though.”  Just then a little boy piped up and asked, “What’s his number?” 
 
What is God’s phone number? In Jeremiah 33:3 God declares: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ Jeremiah 33:3  
 
What is God’s phone number?How can I be sure I’m connecting up with God… 
 
I. JEREMIAH  ADVISED BY GOD TO CALL UPON HIM.

 
Look at Jeremiah 33 Verse 1 “While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him a second time.” Jeremiah is in jail! And he’s been there for a while. This verse tells us that this was the 2nd time God has talked to Jeremiah since he’d been there. 
 
God gave Jeremiah a message to declare to Jerusalem: “Babylon will come down from the north and destroy the city… and unless you’re will to repent… there’s not a blessed thing you can do to stop it.” 
 
Zedekiah, the King in Jerusalem didn’t like that message. And he didn’t want to repent. So - what do you do when you don’t like the message? You shoot the messenger. Well, Zedekiah didn’t actually shoot Jeremiah, but he did throw Jeremiah in prison. 
 
Now consider Jeremiah’s situation. He’s obeyed God and yet: People have mistreated him, insulted him, and thrown him into prison. He’s not sure about what his future holds. He’s not even sure he’s ever going to get out of prison. 
 
It’s little wonder his faith might be at a low ebb. 
 
II. IT’S IN THE MIDST OF THIS DARK MOMENT IN HIS LIFE THAT JEREMIAH IS TOLD “CALL ON GOD.”  
 

Apparently, even religious people need to be reminded to do that. 
 
When David was experiencing difficult times he deliberately reminded himself to do just that. 
 
In Psalm 4:1-3 David wrote: “Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer. How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him.” 
 
Again in Psalm 86:3-7 “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 
You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. 
Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me. 
In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.” 
 
We need to be REMINDED to call upon God.