We all make choices in our day-to-day lives. Some are as simple as what to have for dinner or should I get gas now or in the morning. (Now is always better.) Other choices have more of an impact, like which school to attend or which job to apply for. We are all where we are in our lives because of the choices we have made. Nothing is as important as the choice of accepting Jesus Christ as our savior and following God's will. In 595 BC, the people of Israel and Judah had a choice, it's the same choice their fathers had when wandering the desert. (See Deuteronomy 30:15)
In Chapter 21:8 God tells the people, Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
In Chapter 42 we learn about the consequences of our choices. The dust settles as a group of weary, desperate people gather around the prophet Jeremiah. Their faces are a mixture of hope and anxiety. These are the remnants of a once-great nation, now reduced to a handful by war and exile. They approach Jeremiah, their last hope, seeking divine guidance.
In a dramatic plea, Johanan and the captains of the forces, along with all the people, come to Jeremiah. They beg him to entreat the Lord on their behalf and reveal the path they should take. They are at a crossroads with their future hanging in the balance of their choice.
Jeremiah listens intently. He promises to pray to the Lord and deliver the message without holding anything back. The people, in a solemn vow, swear to obey whatever the Lord commands. In verse 6 they declare "Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God."
After ten days, the word of the Lord comes to Jeremiah. He gathers everyone and delivers the message. The Lord's instruction is clear: if they stay in the land, He will build them up and not tear them down; He will plant them and not uproot them, but if they choose to flee to Egypt, seeking safety, they will face the very dangers they fear—sword, famine, and pestilence. We all face the same choice today. We can choose to follow the Lord's word leading to eternal life or we can choose to do it our way, leading to eternal death. As we go about our busy lives, let's take these lessons and apply them so that we can make the right choice and follow the Lord.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.