Day 3: Pray in alignment with God’s heart and soul

I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul. – Jeremiah 32:41 NKJV

This verse is powerful, yet one if you are like me, you didn’t even know it was in Scripture. Ask God to open your heart and soul to understand His heart and soul for Aliyah—for returning the Jews to Israel.

Dean Bye, with Return Ministries, shares about knowing God’s heart:

I was excited to be in Israel for the first time and to spend my first night near the Sea of Galilee. That first morning, I woke at 4 a.m., probably because of jet lag. I went to the end of the dock, worshipping and waiting for the sun to come up over the Sea of Galilee. I was quite excited to be there and then I heard that still, small voice inside me say, “Do you want to know how I feel?” I just assumed that He shared my excitement.

I had no concept of what was about to happen and all I could say is it was one of the few times in my life when God let me feel what He felt. I randomly answered, “Why sure,” assuming I already knew how He felt. How arrogant. I instantly felt pain so deep that I began to wail, tears flowing freely. It was too horrific. I felt the Father’s pain in the innermost part of my being.

He let me feel His heart. I didn’t know that God could have that kind of pain. I asked Him to take it away, and He did. By that time, the sun came up. I thought I had encountered God but wondered, what was that all about? And that still small voice came again, telling me that the pain was related to His waiting for the fullness of the Gentiles to come in.

His pain goes further than that. He’s waiting for His people, the Jews, to know Him. He’s the one that created the cosmos, the order in the universe. He put us Gentiles in the middle of it and says, “This isn’t going to happen until you guys do your part in My story, My love story.” It is the greatest love story that could ever be told.

I had to encounter the Father’s pain, and from that day forward, I feel like I’m carrying this pain. I live each day and each moment to help the church better understand His heart for His people, His land and the city in which He places His name, Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 6:6). He’s called those of us from the nations to be a part of His plan to restore His people, to plant them back in the land and to use our strength connected to His heart and His soul.

You would be hard-pressed to find another verse in the entire Bible that shares not only the heart of God but also His soul. It has everything to do with planting His people in the land and helping them return to Israel, the land He promised them.

Reread Jeremiah 32:41.

• What are the two things God says He will do?
• How does He do the two things? Is He doing them grudgingly?
• This is the only thing in the Bible that God says He will do with His whole heart and soul. What do you think about that?
• Read Jeremiah 32:37–41. It talks about the Israelites, who God had scattered because of their disobedience. What does God say to you through those verses?
• If God rejoices to do His people good, how should we respond to them?
• Many Christians have rejected Jews because they rejected our Savior. How do you respond to Jews or how have you responded in the past?
• What do you think it means that God will plant them in the land? What might that look like?
• Why do you think God said He would do this with all His heart and all His soul?
• What is your response to this verse?

A Prayer to Pray

God Almighty, thank You for showing us what is on Your heart, especially what You are doing with Your whole heart and soul. Forgive me for not recognizing how important Your people and land are to You. I confess that I thought You had abandoned Your nation and people because of their sins, but I now realize that isn’t true. Would You teach me more and more about Your heart for Your people and Your land? Show me how I can partner with You to fulfill Your heart’s desires, Lord.

Prayer points for today

Here are some ways you can partner with God in prayer for what He wants to do with His whole heart and soul:

• Pray for any Jews you may know. If you don’t know any, research your city or state to see how many Jews live there. Then pray that God will touch their hearts to want to make Aliyah.
• Pray that God will raise up people to help bring His people home. If you are bold, ask God if He might want to use you in some way to answer that prayer.
• Pray that God will plant many Jews from your home country into the land of Israel.
• Pray for God’s protection over Israel, from all their enemies, within and without.

Actions to take

• Ask God how you can partner with Him in doing good to His people. Then do what He reveals.
• Consider financially supporting a ministry that is helping Jews return to Israel. You can find a list in the Appendix.