Today’s Reading
Jeremiah 40–42, Psalms, Revelation 13
Scripture Focus
“Jeremiah the prophet. They said, “Please pray to the Lord your God for us. As you can see, we are only a tiny remnant compared to what we were before. Pray that the Lord your God will show us what to do and where to go.” “All right,” Jeremiah replied. “I will pray to the Lord your God, as you have asked, and I will tell you everything he says. I will hide nothing from you.” Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord your God be a faithful witness against us if we refuse to obey whatever he tells us to do! 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 42:2-6 NLT
“He said to them, “You sent me to the Lord, the God of Israel, with your request, and this is his reply: ‘Stay here in this land. If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you. For I am sorry about all the punishment I have had to bring upon you. “But if you refuse to obey the Lord your God, and if you say, ‘We will not stay here;”
Jeremiah 42:9-10, 13 NLT
“For you were not being honest when you sent me to pray to the Lord your God for you. You said, ‘Just tell us what the Lord our God says, and we will do it!’ And today I have told you exactly what he said, but you will not obey the Lord your God any better now than you have in the past.”
Jeremiah 42:20-21 NLT
“So Johanan and the other military leaders and all the people refused to obey the Lord’s command to stay in Judah.”
Jeremiah 43:4 NLT
......: Why are you destroying yourselves? .................... To this very hour you have shown no remorse or reverence. No one has chosen to follow my word and the decrees I gave to you and your ancestors before you. All these terrible things happened to you because you have burned incense to idols and sinned against the Lord. You have refused to obey him and have not followed his instructions, his decrees, and his laws.””
Jeremiah 44:4, 7-8, 10, 23 NLT
Reflection
The timeline here falls right after Jerusalem’s fall. The temple is burned, the walls are torn down, and the people are carried off into exile. Only a remnant remains in Judah—fragile, scared, and desperate.
At first glance, their plea seems humble: “Pray for us, Jeremiah. Ask God what to do. Whatever He says, we’ll obey.” But Jeremiah, speaking the very words of God, reveals what’s really in their hearts: they weren’t being honest. They already had their plan. They wanted God’s blessing on their way, not His way.
This is the same struggle humanity has faced since Eden. God said, “Just obey and live.” But sin warped the virtue of obedience, and the flesh fights it every time. Like the remnant, we often convince ourselves that our way is wiser, safer, more logical. Egypt represented security in their eyes—a type of the world. Yet God had commanded them to stay in the land, to trust Him, and He promised, “If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down.”
But their eyes said, “That can’t be right.” Their reasoning said, “That will never work.” So they blamed the prophet, doubted God’s word, and followed their own understanding—straight into judgment.
How often do we fall into the same trap? We cry, “Lord, show me what to do!” but deep down, we’ve already decided. When His answer doesn’t align with our reasoning, comfort, or desire, we dismiss it. Yet true obedience is surrendering our will to His, trusting that His way—even when it looks upside down—is the only way to life.
Lesson for Me
Promise from Revelation 13 ✨
“This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful.”
Revelation 13:10 NLT
Even in the face of opposition and judgment, God promises that His people can endure and remain faithful—because His strength keeps us standing.
Application Questions
Takeaway 🌿
Obedience is life—when I trust and follow God’s way, He builds me up, but when I cling to my own way, I tear myself down.
Cross-References 📖
“I call heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NLT
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”
James 1:22 NLT
Prayer 🙏
Lord, forgive me for the times I’ve asked for Your will but secretly clung to my own. Help me to trust You fully and obey without delay, even when my eyes can’t see the outcome. Plant me in the place You’ve called me, build me up, and keep me from destroying myself by chasing the world. Teach me the joy of obedience that flows from love, not fear. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Journaling Reminder ✍️
Take a few quiet minutes with Jesus. Ask Him: “Lord, am I truly obeying You, or am I just asking You to bless my way?” Write down what He speaks—what to release, what to hold onto, and where He wants to strengthen your obedience today.
“Jeremiah the prophet. They said, “Please pray to the Lord your God for us. As you can see, we are only a tiny remnant compared to what we were before. Pray that the Lord your God will show us what to do and where to go.” “All right,” Jeremiah replied. “I will pray to the Lord your God, as you have asked, and I will tell you everything he says. I will hide nothing from you.” Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord your God be a faithful witness against us if we refuse to obey whatever he tells us to do! 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 42:2-6 NLT
“He said to them, “You sent me to the Lord, the God of Israel, with your request, and this is his reply: ‘Stay here in this land. If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you. For I am sorry about all the punishment I have had to bring upon you. “But if you refuse to obey the Lord your God, and if you say, ‘We will not stay here;”
Jeremiah 42:9-10, 13 NLT
“For you were not being honest when you sent me to pray to the Lord your God for you. You said, ‘Just tell us what the Lord our God says, and we will do it!’ And today I have told you exactly what he said, but you will not obey the Lord your God any better now than you have in the past.”
Jeremiah 42:20-21 NLT
“So Johanan and the other military leaders and all the people refused to obey the Lord’s command to stay in Judah.”
Jeremiah 43:4 NLT
......: Why are you destroying yourselves? .................... To this very hour you have shown no remorse or reverence. No one has chosen to follow my word and the decrees I gave to you and your ancestors before you. All these terrible things happened to you because you have burned incense to idols and sinned against the Lord. You have refused to obey him and have not followed his instructions, his decrees, and his laws.””
Jeremiah 44:4, 7-8, 10, 23 NLT
Reflection
The timeline here falls right after Jerusalem’s fall. The temple is burned, the walls are torn down, and the people are carried off into exile. Only a remnant remains in Judah—fragile, scared, and desperate.
At first glance, their plea seems humble: “Pray for us, Jeremiah. Ask God what to do. Whatever He says, we’ll obey.” But Jeremiah, speaking the very words of God, reveals what’s really in their hearts: they weren’t being honest. They already had their plan. They wanted God’s blessing on their way, not His way.
This is the same struggle humanity has faced since Eden. God said, “Just obey and live.” But sin warped the virtue of obedience, and the flesh fights it every time. Like the remnant, we often convince ourselves that our way is wiser, safer, more logical. Egypt represented security in their eyes—a type of the world. Yet God had commanded them to stay in the land, to trust Him, and He promised, “If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down.”
But their eyes said, “That can’t be right.” Their reasoning said, “That will never work.” So they blamed the prophet, doubted God’s word, and followed their own understanding—straight into judgment.
How often do we fall into the same trap? We cry, “Lord, show me what to do!” but deep down, we’ve already decided. When His answer doesn’t align with our reasoning, comfort, or desire, we dismiss it. Yet true obedience is surrendering our will to His, trusting that His way—even when it looks upside down—is the only way to life.
Lesson for Me
- Obedience is not about convenience or agreement—it’s about trust.
- Egypt will always call me back to the world, but God calls me to stay planted where He has me.
- When I resist His word, I’m not just making a poor decision—I’m destroying myself (Jeremiah 44:7–8).
Promise from Revelation 13 ✨
“This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful.”
Revelation 13:10 NLT
Even in the face of opposition and judgment, God promises that His people can endure and remain faithful—because His strength keeps us standing.
Application Questions
- Have I asked God to guide me but already decided what I wanted Him to say?
- Where am I leaning on my own understanding instead of obeying God in faith?
- What “Egypts” am I tempted to run back to when God calls me to stay and trust Him?
- How can I daily practice obedience—even when it doesn’t make sense to me?
Takeaway 🌿
Obedience is life—when I trust and follow God’s way, He builds me up, but when I cling to my own way, I tear myself down.
Cross-References 📖
“I call heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NLT
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”
James 1:22 NLT
Prayer 🙏
Lord, forgive me for the times I’ve asked for Your will but secretly clung to my own. Help me to trust You fully and obey without delay, even when my eyes can’t see the outcome. Plant me in the place You’ve called me, build me up, and keep me from destroying myself by chasing the world. Teach me the joy of obedience that flows from love, not fear. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Journaling Reminder ✍️
Take a few quiet minutes with Jesus. Ask Him: “Lord, am I truly obeying You, or am I just asking You to bless my way?” Write down what He speaks—what to release, what to hold onto, and where He wants to strengthen your obedience today.