we will obey the LORD

Today in the One Year Bible, we read from Jeremiah 42:1-44:23. The military leaders of Israel tell Jeremiah to ask God what they should do, and they promise to do whatever He says. "If we obey Him, everything will turn out well for us," they realize.

So Jeremiah goes and asks God what they should do, and God tells them to stay where they are. That He will take care of them. As soon as Jeremiah finishes telling them what God said, Azariah (one of the leaders) said to Jeremiah, "You lie!" And they promptly ignore God's directions. 

Obviously this is a cautionary tale. We are being taught through very strong and negative example what we should not do in our lives. 

Instead we should follow the example of our mother, Mary. She said, "Yes!" when God let her know that she was going to be the mother of the Lord. And the very last thing she is recorded as saying in the Bible is, "Do whatever He tells you."

Let's do what Mary did. Let's say yes to all of the plans God has for us. And when we meet with other people, when they come into our lives needing help and especially when they ask our advice, let's do what she did: point them to Jesus and say, "Do whatever He tells you."

Because the Israelite leaders were right about one thing. If we do what He tells us, everything will turn out well for us.

God, thanks for teaching us through a bad example and through a good one.