DISTRACTION FROM DIRECTION
Jeremiah 42, 43

“The LORD has said concerning you, O remnant of Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt…”(Jeremiah 42:19). The children of Israel were seeking a way that seemed right to them because of the fear of the Chaldeans attack. As a result, they went to Jeremiah, “And said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Please, let our petition be acceptable to you, and pray for us to the LORD your God, for all this remnant (since we are left but a few of many, as you can see), 3 that the LORD your God may show us the way in which we should walk and the thing we should do.””(Jeremiah 42:2-3) Jeremiah did as they had requested and the Lord gave the direction, but the remnant redirected themselves. Has the Lord been speaking direction to you directly or indirectly? When God’s direction is redirected, it leads to nowhere, but to disaster. Despite the condition on the ground, the remnants were in a safe hand and they should have had no reason not to obey and accept the promise of God to keep them from the Chaldeans’ attack. The remnants initially knew what they would do before sending Jeremiah to ask from God. Jeremiah warned them, “Then hear now the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah! Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘If you wholly set your faces to enter Egypt, and go to dwell there, 16 then it shall be that the sword which you feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt; the famine of which you were afraid shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there you shall die.”(Jeremiah 42:15-16) Jeremiah pointed out the reason for asking, or seeking God, for direction and not taking to God’s direction is “wholly setting of eyes on one’s own direction”. The remnants of Judah were running away from war, and failed to listen to God’s word of direction through Jeremiah, as a result, they ended up in self destruction, “…So Johanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces, and all the people would not obey the voice of the LORD, to remain in the land of Judah” (Jeremiah 43:4) The remnant had wholly set their eyes on going to Egypt. Believers can always remember that God always has a better plan for His children. The God that has brought you this far does have better plans to see you further, because faithful is He that calls you.

Prayer for today: Father, I ask that You deliver me from every agent of distraction that causes man not to obey Your direction.