Not in a Million Years … Except Today

S - Jeremiah 42:3-12 (NLT): "Beg the LORD your God to show us what to do and where to go." "All right," Jeremiah replied. "I will pray to the LORD your God, and I will tell you everything he says. I will hide nothing from you." Then they said to Jeremiah, "May the LORD your God be a faithful witness against us if we refuse to obey whatever he tells us to do! Whether we like it or not, we will obey the LORD our God to whom we send you with our plea. For if we obey him, everything will turn out well for us." Ten days later, the LORD gave his reply to Jeremiah. So he called for Johanan son of Kareah and the army officers, and for all the people, from the least to the greatest. He said to them, "You sent me to the LORD, the God of Israel, with your request, and this is his reply: `Stay here in this land. If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you. For I am sorry for all the punishment I have had to bring upon you. Do not fear the king of Babylon anymore, says the LORD. For I am with you and will save you and rescue you from his power. I will be merciful to you by making him kind, so he will let you stay here in your land.' "

O - The "unthinkable", though clearly predicted and warned about, has happened.  Jerusalem is in ruins and the invading Babylonians have set up their puppet regime and some crazy zealots have assassinated them.  This group in the text, this remnant, comes and begs for the word of the Lord, the Lord who has been talking to the people of Israel from Abraham on, to tell them what to do.  The Lord in his kindness answers.  They refuse to listen and run off to Egypt and their own demise.  What I observe here is that:

1.       They promise to obey.

2.       It takes ten days for the Lord to speak to Jeremiah.

3.       The Lord promises them rich blessing, protection and a secure future if they stay.

4.       They do not need to fear the King of Babylon … the one who ransacked and burned Jerusalem and the Temple, killed all of Zedekiah's sons in front of him, put out his eyes and then took him in chains to Babylon.

5.       The Lord will be merciful to them by making the King of Babylon be kind to them.

Apparently, all they really wanted was for Jeremiah to agree with the decision they'd already come to. They wanted their will to be God's will and if it wasn't their will would still prevail.  Things haven't changed so much from those ancient days to our 21st Century.

A - Of the many points this account reveals, it certainly underscores the working definition of faith.  Acts of obedience always precede the acts of God rather than acts of God followed by our promises to obey.  Faith relies on God and expresses the trust, the fierce personal loyalty, he deserves and offers.  Also, the length of time required to hear from the Lord is curious.  A ten day wait, which even in a slower time and season, is anything but immediate.  Finally, the Lord gives them the information they need and the reason they should comply … he will see that the ruthlessly brutal King of Babylon will be kind to them; after all he is the God of all the kings of the earth.  What?  Trust the Lord through the King of Babylon?  Faith says absolutely and reason and recent history say not in a million years.  Reason carried the day and sealed their sad and miserable fates.  With all I want to have changed today … today I lead with this plea: Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth, in me and through me, as it is in heaven.  I am living out the faith and history I've come to know in following  Jesus all these years … and come what may it remains acts of obedience followed by acts of God and if God doesn't act we'll be worse off for the wear and it will be apparent to all.

P - Lord of all,

Today is the day you have made.  You are engaged and purposeful not because I wish it but because you choose it.  Thank you for remembering me, for calling me to yourself and to work with you (not just for you).  I welcome you and your will and thank you for this new season and assignment.  I am trusting you through some folks … some known and some unknown to me but all known to you and under your sovereignty.  Please let my heart rise in faith and my mind stay focused on you … I will lean on you and NOT my own understanding.  Thank you for your awesome provision for us, your protection and the secure future we have because we belong to you not only by right but by grace.  Let your life, vibrant, refreshing and irrepressible come into me/us and splash out of me/us all day long.  Thank you for your defiant mercy, relentless love and unflickering forgiveness.  I seek you and ask for new wineskins, mulberry trees in the ocean and for that which is too wonderful for me.

Steve