FAITH CAPSULE: Obey the living word of God and live abundantly.
Jeremiah 42
It is one thing to hear word and not receive what is heard. Also, it is another to hear and be able to receive what is heard. Receiving the word God into our life is making a decision to have life abundantly. Jesus, the living word of God came for the purpose of giving life abundantly to those who makes the choice to receive Him. Sometimes, word is possible to be well pleasing or displeasing because it is true and truth can be bitter. However, when it is well received it will always deliver in all ways of life. Once, when the Jews who were left behind after the captivity began to seek for a means of avoiding the challenges from the Chaldeans opposition, Jeremiah was consulted, “…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), that the LORD your God may show us the way in which we should walk and the thing we should do.”(Jeremiah 42:1-3) The remaining Jews after captivity (the remnant Jews) wanted to hear word of direction from God. The Jews promised Jeremiah before inquiring from God, “Whether it is pleasing or displeasing, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we send you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.” (Jeremiah 42:6) Jeremiah went before God and was able to receive a message for the Jews.
The message for them was not to run and dwell in Egypt because they had set their faces to run to Egypt as a safe dwelling ground. God promised in Jeremiah 42:11-12, “Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid; do not be afraid of him”, says the LORD, “for I am with you, to save you and deliver you from his hand. And I will show you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and cause you to return to your own land.” The Jews heard word of direction from God but failed to receive it. The Jews were afraid and it is apparent from their case that to be afraid is to lose the presence of God which delivers. The Jews could not remain in the land; they could not retain the presence of God and as a result, they could not retain life. The remnant Jews disobeyed the word of God; Egypt could not prevent them from dying by sword, by famine and pestilence. Obey the word of God and you will live and not die.
Prayer for today: Ask God to keep you from any mind blocking agent that can cause man not to receive and live by His word.