Do we really mean it?

Do we really mean it?  We ask for God’s direction.  We promise to follow His leading.  Let’s just be honest.  By the time we petition God, our plan is already in the works.  Our mind is made up. Our desire is to seek God’s blessing on our decision.  We want God to agree with us and make it happen.  “Have it your way” is the Burger King theme, not God’s.  It is difficult kneeling before the Lord empty without a preconceived plan or list of supplications.  God knows best is easy to say to someone else.  The true test is when you have to trust God when you do not understand where He is leading and why then follow Him anyway.
Jeremiah 42:1-6
42 Now all the captains of the forces, Johanan the son of Kareah, Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people, from the least to the greatest, came near 2 and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “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), 3 that the Lord your God may show us the way in which we should walk and the thing we should do.”
4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard. Indeed, I will pray to the Lord your God according to your words, and it shall be, that whatever the Lord answers you, I will declare it to you. I will keep nothing back from you.”
5 So they said to Jeremiah, “Let the Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not do according to everything which the Lord your God sends us by you. 6 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.”

The Jewish remnant came to Jeremiah requesting that he petition God on their behalf.  The people faced a dilemma, stay where they were and deal with the Babylonians or flee to Egypt against the will of God and face His wrath.  Did they really want God to answer?  Did they desire His help?  Truthfully, the alliance with Egypt had already been forged.  What they sought was confirmation on a plan they had formulated on their own.  Their course was set and their words meaningless.


Before making decisions, meditate on Proverbs 3:5-6.  Trust that He knows.  Trust your ways to Him.  Ask God to direct your path and mean it.

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