During the occupation of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, the remnant came to Jeremiah with a request. “Please hear our petition and pray to the LORD your God for this entire remnant. For as you now see, though we were once many, now only a few are left. Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.” [Jer 42:2-3 NIV]
Then the remnant pledged to obey whatever God said. Jeremiah did pray and brought back a message to the people that they were to stay where they were and not be afraid about going over to the Babylonians. If they stayed, they were safe.
Unfortunately, the people did not obey and Jeremiah told them, “I warn you today that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the LORD your God and said, ‘Pray to the LORD our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.’ I have told you today, but you still have not obeyed the LORD your God in all he sent me to tell you.” [Jer 42:19-21 NIV]
I love the way the NIV says that … “you made a fatal mistake.”
They wanted an answer from God about what to do and where to go, but they did not like the answer they got. So, they disobeyed. Instead of being safe, they were given over to the sword, famine, and plague. It truly was a fatal mistake.
Aren’t we like that sometimes? We seek God in prayer for answers, but when we get an answer we don’t like … well, that’s where the obedience is supposed to come in. It’s easy to obey the answer we are seeking; not so easy to obey the one we didn’t expect – or didn’t want.
God says stay, we want to go, so we go. May not be a fatal mistake, but it often is one that will affect our lives for a very long time.