Reversal of fortune

Today's Readings: Lamentations 5:1-22; Obadiah 1:1-21; 2 Kings 25:22-26; Jeremiah 40:7-16, 41:1-18, 42:1-22, 43:1-13

Highlighted Verses and my thoughts:
"Whether we like it or not, we will obey the Lord our God to whom we are sending you with our plea.  For if we obey him, everything will turn out well for us." Jeremiah 42:6

"When Jeremiah had finished giving this message from the Lord their God to all the people, Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanna son of Kareah and all the other proud men said to Jeremiah, 'You lie! The Lord our God hasn't forbidden us to go to Egypt!" Jeremiah 43:1-2

"So Johanan and the other guerrilla leaders and all the people refused to obey the Lord's command to stay in Judah." Jeremiah 43:4

These words come from the guerrilla leaders (it says from the least to the greatest) who approached Jeremiah asking him to 'pray to the Lord your God for us'.  These were those who were just a tiny remnant, left behind in Judah.  They wanted Jeremiah to ask God to show them what they were to do and where they were to go.   After Jeremiah agreed to pray for this guidance, they replied with the first verse above.  However, after Jeremiah prayed and received the answer from God, the people did not like what they heard (that God wanted them to stay in Judah, because they wanted to go to Egypt -- the one place the Lord told them not go go).  We see in the last verse above how they totally reversed their initial stance -- choosing disobedience.

My response to God: O God, how many times have I been like that remnant of people so long ago in Judah?  How many times have I started out proclaiming my allegiance to you and everything you stand for only to find myself going in the opposite direction?   Forgive me, Lord, and help me to recognize when my feet start to turn in the wrong direction.  Guide me toward obedience to you.