Over the years, I’ve made several summer car trips back to my hometown in central Nebraska. A couple of these trips occurred after nightfall. Once my car crossed the line into Nebraska (once from Iowa and once from Colorado), a barrage of bugs began pelting my windshield creating a thick layer of muck. After turning the wiper blades up to the highest speed for 10 minutes and depleting the washer fluid, I had to stop my car. I was driving by faith, not by sight. These experiences were so long ago, I don’t remember what happened next – but God must have given me a way to clear the slurry, because I arrived at my destination alive with no mishaps.

If you’ve been soldiering through the book of Jeremiah with us and are now entering Chapter 32, you will find Jeremiah placed in a minimum security prison by King Zedekiah because he opposed the king’s resistance to the ongoing and final siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. The prophet’s perspective had become as messy as a myriad of bugs hitting his windshield. He was dazed and needed encouragement but didn’t anticipate the exercise God had in mind.

Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.’” Jeremiah 32:6-7 NET

The field God commanded Jeremiah to buy had already been taken by the Babylonians, so such a purchase would have been incredibly stupid by human standards. Jeremiah needed further confirmation to make this purchase as it was of no personal benefit to him.

Then Hanamel, my cousin, came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord. Jeremiah 32:8 NET

After Jeremiah recorded this deal, he was still shaky about the wisdom of what he’d just done. He needed to refresh his vision of who God has always been and forever will be:

“After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord, saying: ‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. You show steadfast love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them, O great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds….

What you spoke has come to pass, and behold, you see it.’ Jeremiah 32:16-19, 24b NET

Although the land transaction was ridiculous, God revealed Jeremiah’s purchase would stand as a statement of faith that future generations would return to the land. However, the Lord had to AGAIN reassure Jeremiah this was his command.

Yet you, O Lord God, have said to me, “Buy the field for money and get witnesses” — though the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.’”

The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:25-27 NET

Has a barrage of bugs been hitting your windshield lately? Does it seem God is allowing worthwhile foundations to crumble and is issuing permits to those who intend to trample his people? Let Jeremiah’s vision and confession be yours as well:

‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.’ Jeremiah 32:17

Here are more scriptures to renew your vision of who our Lord Jesus is, what he has promised and where his faithful servants are headed:
Hebrews 1, Revelation 5, 20, and 21.