Corona Devo 1779

Sometimes the plans that the Lord has for us make no sense at all (to us). 

Sometimes the plans that the Lord has for us completely contradicts the plans that we have made. 

Have we ever felt God direct us in the exact opposite direction than we were wanting/intending/reasoning/rationalizing to go?

Sometimes we have scrutinized every angle and hypothesized every scenario...and we are sure of what direction to take, and yet: God directs us in a different one.  

Will we trust God even when we don't agree with Him?

I hope we will.  

~~~

Over and over, Jeremiah directed the people of Jerusalem and (specifically) their king, Zedekiah, to surrender to the Babylonian king and army that (God predicted) would be attacking them and their city.  

But the Israelites didn't agree with God's plans, and so they didn't follow them (or Him). 

Now Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah heard what Jeremiah had been telling the people. He had been saying, (2) “This is what the Lord says: ‘Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die from war, famine, or disease, but those who surrender to the Babylonians will live. Their reward will be life. They will live!’ (3) The Lord also says: ‘The city of Jerusalem will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon, who will capture it.’”  ~Jeremiah 38:1-3

These guys heard Jeremiah preaching, but they hated the idea of defeat, and so they didn't listen. 

And then, a second time, God told the people of Israel (this time to their king) of His plans for them: Surrender to your enemies...and you'll be okay.  Fight or run...and things will end poorly for you.  

Because God's plans were alternative to their own, they would not listen. 

Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you surrender to the Babylonian officers, you and your family will live, and the city will not be burned down. (18) But if you refuse to surrender, you will not escape! This city will be handed over to the Babylonians, and they will burn it to the ground.’”  

(19) “But I am afraid to surrender,” the king said, “for the Babylonians may hand me over to the Judeans who have defected to them. And who knows what they will do to me!”  

(20) Jeremiah replied, “You won’t be handed over to them if you choose to obey the Lord. Your life will be spared, and all will go well for you. (21) But if you refuse to surrender, this is what the Lord has revealed to me...  (23) ...you will not escape. You will be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned down.”  ~Jeremiah 38:17-21, 23  

~~~

It's very hard to submit to God's plans when they are in complete opposition to everything (we think) we want.  

How (in the world!) could surrender bring...freedom?  

But that is where God's ways are higher than our ways.  God knows better than us what is best for us.

God knew (and told) what would be best for the people of Israel and for King Zedekiah: Surrender to the Babylonians...and you will live.  

But if you refuse to surrender... (23) ...you will not escape  ~Jeremiah 38:17, 22-23

God told them His plans, but they (still) went with their own.     

In January of the ninth year of King Zedekiah’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came with his entire army to besiege Jerusalem. (2) Two and a half years later.. a section of the city wall was broken down. (3) All the officers of the Babylonian army came in and sat in triumph at the Middle Gate... 

(4) When King Zedekiah of Judah and all the soldiers saw that the Babylonians had broken into the city, they fled. They waited for nightfall and then slipped through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden and headed toward the Jordan Valley.  

(5) But the Babylonian troops chased them and overtook Zedekiah on the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who was at Riblah in the land of Hamath. There the king of Babylon pronounced judgment upon Zedekiah.

(6) The king of Babylon made Zedekiah watch as he slaughtered his sons at Riblah. The king of Babylon also slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. (7) Then he gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in bronze chains to lead him away to Babylon.  ~Jeremiah 39:1-7

Now that is graphic and horrible.  But...that did not have to happen.  

What if King Zedekiah had listened-to and trusted God at His Word, even if he could not fully understand God's plan?  

Recall God's words to King Zedekiah though Jeremiah: “This is what the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you surrender to the Babylonian officers, you and your family will live, and the city will not be burned down. (18) But if you refuse to surrender, you will not escape! (Jeremiah 38:17-18).

~~~

Has the Lord been leading us to His plan but we won't accept it because it doesn't seem practical/rational/popular/feasible/do-able (we think)?

But when it comes to the Lord's plans for our lives, we need to think less and trust more.  
Will we trust God even when we don't agree with Him?

I hope we will.  

But better than hoping, let's pray that we will be strong enough to rely on God's judgement for our lives over our own.  

He knows better.  He is sovereign.  His ways are not our ways, so it would make sense that sometimes His ways don't make sense to us.  

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.  (9) “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.  ~Isaiah 55:7-10  

~~~

How (in the world!) could surrender bring...freedom?  

That's exactly how our Heavenly King advances His Kingdom and His Army.  Will we join Him today?  He promises us life if we will.

If you surrender... you and your family will live... (18) But if you refuse to surrender, you will not escape! (Jeremiah 38:17-18).

Father, even if it goes against every grain of our gut-instinct, let us trust You today.  Let us SURRENDER to your plan and Your will for us.  And may we experience LIFE because of it.  Amen.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com 



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