“Then they said to Jeremiah, ‘May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with the whole message with which the Lord your God will send you to us. Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will listen to the voice of the Lord our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us when we listen to the voice of the Lord our God’” (Jeremiah 42:5-6).
Promises of faithfulness come easiest when God’s people are most desperate. Those who survived the destruction of Jerusalem were fearful of Babylonian reprisals in response to the assassination of Gedaliah, King Nebuchadnezzar’s appointed governor over Judah. They began making plans to run to Egypt, but they paused long enough to ask Jeremiah to seek God’s will in the matter. “Please tell us what to do, God! We promise we will do it -- even if we don’t like it!”
Ten days later, Jeremiah gives the people God’s unpleasant answer. It was God’s will for the people to stay in the land of Judah and trust His protection. But that wasn’t what they wanted to hear. God’s words were barely out of Jeremiah’s mouth before they refused to honor their promise to listen to Him and do whatever He says. “So Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces, and all the people, did not obey the voice of the Lord to stay in the land of Judah” (Jeremiah 43:4).
All cultures understand it. The Chinese say it this way: “Talk doesn’t cook rice.” The Arabs say it this way: “A promise is a cloud; fulfillment is rain.” Our own Benjamin Franklin said: “Well done is better than well said.” However you say it, actions do speak louder than words. Promising to listen to God whether you like what He tells you or not is a grand intention. But true faithfulness to God is best measured by actions, not words. Faith without works is STILL dead!
God loves you!
Mike
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