Jeremiah 41:17-18 - And they went on, stopping at Geruth Kimham near Bethlehem on their way to Egypt
to escape the Babylonians.
They were afraid of them because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had
killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had
appointed as governor over the land.
A man name Ishmael had taken advantage of the people who had
been left in Mizpah with Gedaliah. He had Gedaliah…all his officials….and 70
other random men that came to the temple to worship the day after. He was leading them away when another man
named Johanan scared Ishmael into leaving them and running for his life. They
end up in a town close to Bethlehem…planning to run away to Egypt and hide to
escape any more trouble from the Babylonian king.
The chaos that is presented here is exactly what happens
when we let evil make our choices for us. One bad thing leads to another bad
thing…there is no real organization…no real purpose in our plans. WE allow evil
to have its way…to just take advantage of our weakened state…to just make it
weaker.
The people still have no clue that they need to repent and
ask God for help….that he is just a prayer away. They just run with whatever the
newest person pops into their brains as a possible solution. The eighty men
that come to the Temple to seek God have the right idea…but it seems the 10
that were spared have lost so much hope they forget to call out to God and ask what
to do.
It is a reminder to me that it’s dangerous to follow anyone else’s
plan unless you have consulted God first. If my life seems disorganized and chaotic
…then it is time to drop to my knees and have a heart to heart with God and see
why he has allowed it. Only God has the
answers …the solution out of the chaos. I will just keep running…grasping at
whatever I can…till I ask him what I need to be doing instead.
Father…thank you for the reminder that chaos in my life
might be a clue that I have not let you be in control of my every thought and
action. Forgive me for the times that I
have gone too long in my own selfishness….and forgot to ask you where my next step
should be. Help me to see any chaos that
surrounds me for what it really is…and stop to ask you for directions out of
the mess. Amen.
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