So one of the advantages of traveling is that I am I taking more time to read. Over the last couple days, I've read through most of Jeremiah (one of those long poetry books buried in the back of the Old Testament. There's probably a lot I could write about, but here's the aspect that has really caught my attention: Do I really want answers to my questions?Here's the setup: Jeremiah spends most of his career predicting that destruction will come upon Jerusalem if they don't repent of their idolatry and sincerely follow God. Jeremiah is in constant conflict with the false prophets who are predicting peace and prosperity. Finally, after many years, Babylon comes, captures Jerusalem, burns it and drags away most of the people to captivity. In short, Jeremiah is proven right.
Babylon also leaves the poorest people to work the land, and leaves a Babylonian governor to rule the land. The governor is not the world's brightest guy, and ends up getting assassinated. The Jews still in the land are, understandably, a bit nervous that Babylon may not take kindly to the assassination and may retaliate brutally. They go to Jeremiah and ask him to inquire of the Lord whether they should stay or flee to Egypt. Jeremiah asks them if they will obey the Lord, and they assure him that yes, they will.
But when Jeremiah returns and tells them that God says to stay and that he will bless them (but if they flee, disaster will come upon them), the people accuse Jeremiah of lying to them to bring about their destruction, and flee for Egypt.
What's scary is how much of myself I see in the story. It is easy for me to promise before I have answers that yes, yes, I will obey God. But when God's answer asks me to be brave, to face a fear, to put myself at great risk, I promptly forget my eagerness to obey God. I also tend to be rather naive about my heart; about how willing I really am to be obedient.
I wonder how often I ask for God's wisdom or will in a matter, but aren't really willing to obey him regardless of the answer.
2 comments:
I can understand this, though I usually know that I'm not willing to say yes to anything. Here's something that gives me hope:
"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'
"'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
"Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.
"Which of the two did what his father wanted?"
"The first," they answered.
Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
--Matthew 21:28-32 (NIV)
I need to be able to say to God "no, I won't" for my personal sanity, besides the fact that choice means being able to say no; if you can't truly say no, you can't truly say yes. This parable gives me hope that telling God where I'm at is not the end of the story, nor is it a source of condemnation.
Yep, I'm glad that God is patient with us and gives us many chances to change our minds. Usually. There's a few people I wish he'd give a few less chances too.
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