YOUR GOD, or MY GOD?

 

Finally, after constant warnings from Jeremiah, Babylon destroyed Jerusalem. Most of Israel was sent into exile. A small remnant was left. Jerusalem was completely destroyed, and chaos and lawlessness ruled Israel under the hands of the Babylonians. You would think Israel would humble themselves before the Lord after all the warnings and the truth of the prophecies of Jeremiah. But, NO!

They continued to lie and try to deceive God. In Jeremiah 41, the remnant that was left behind after the exile was ready to flee to Egypt. As an afterthought, they came to Jeremiah asking him to pray for them to the Lord. Saying, 

"Please pray to the Lord your God for us. As you can see, we are only a tiny remnant compared to what we were before. Pray that the Lord your God will show us what to do and where to go." (Jeremiah 42:2,3)

Do you see the problem here?

Twice, the leaders of this remnant of "God's people" couldn't even claim God as their own God. They asked Jeremiah to pray to YOUR God. How sad. But, it gets worse. After Jeremiah agrees to pray for them they say:

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 are sending you with our plea. For if we obey him, everything will turn out well for us." (Jeremiah 42:5,6)

After ten days, God told them NOT to go to Egypt. 

"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 about 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."

"But if you refuse to obey the Lord your God, and if you say, 'We will not stay here; instead, we will go to Egypt where we will be free from war, the call to arms, and hunger.' then hear the Lord's message to the remnant of Judah. This is what the Lord of Heaven's armies, the God of Israel, says: 'If you are determined to go to Egypt and live there, the very war and famine you fear will catch up to you, and you will die there.'"(Jeremiah 42:10-16)

So, what did they do? They went anyway! 

WOW! They never learned! They went to Egypt and Egypt was also destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.

This tiny remnant had made up their mind. They were going to Egypt. They just wanted God to endorse their plan.

How many times do we make plans and then expect God to endorse them? We are not any different than this remnant. We are so stubborn and we ignore God. We treat him like he isn't even our God. "Pray to YOUR GOD!" 

DO I LIVE LIKE GOD IS MY GOD? Do I TRUST HIM? AM I WILLING TO FOLLOW HIM EVEN WHEN HE ASKS ME TO DO THE HARD THING? 

Lord, you are MY God. I know your ways are higher than my ways. I know you have wonderful plans for me. Please guide my steps and make straight my path to fulfill your will in my life. Please keep me from planning for my own destruction. Help me to have ears for you and a will to heed your call in my life. I don't want to end up like Israel, a stubborn, defeated people. I truly trust you and commit my WHOLE LIFE to you! Amen!