Observation: Jerusalem is under siege by the Babylonians, and at the king's request Jeremiah prophesies the truth ... the Jews are about to be destroyed by God's own hand, due to their longstanding transgressions. The Lord does give them the hope of a remnant who will survive and eventually be called back to the land, however he gives them this instruction to be part of the remnant: Surrender.
Anyone who places hope in the earthly strength of their walled city will die in some manner of terror and hardship. Anyone who obeys the Lord and surrenders will actually survive, and even be cared for by the Babylonians in some way to sustain their life.
SO MANY will choose to stay, resist, and then later flee, with disastrous outcomes.
Application: The Lord has always given us this choice ... will we as a people - and I myself - choose to follow our own understanding of the world and our own plans for life, or will we surrender to the Lord's instruction and trust that direction? From Adam to Jehoiachin, the Old Testament repeats that pattern. From Mary to Satan, the New Testament repeats that pattern. Over and over, it is obvious who has the best outcomes.
And my life has this pattern. When I follow my path, I struggle. So, have I learned to surrender? Have I truly decided that I will surrender decisions about my life's direction and obey the Lord, even when the path he appears to offer is unknown and indeterminable about the outcome? Sometimes I choose correctly, and sometimes ... I don't.
Jeremiah is famous for the words affirming that the Lord's plans for me are wonderful and good. May I - and all of us - also recognize that the Lord told us how lean into the Lord's plan, which is to surrender to him.
Prayer: Lord, I do desire to surrender to your will and plan for my life, both long-term and on a daily basis. May I know what to do step by step, and better learn how to surrender. Amen.
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