Are We Hypocrites?

Jeremiah 40 to 42 After the siege ended, Nebuchadnezzar had left a small contingent in the land to care for it. They had come to Jeremiah, the prophet, seeking God’s counsel about what they should do.  Standing before him, they said: “Please pray to the Lord “your” God that He will tell us where we should go and what we should do. We promise that whatever he says, we will do.” After ten days, Jeremiah emerges from his prayer closet with God’s counsel, which is resoundingly rejected.  Jeremiah’s words and their promise to do whatever he said don’t match what they wanted to hear.  How often do we make promises, but become impatient and decide to do what “we want” not what God says?

Instead of believing Jeremiah, they said: “God did not send you to tell us to stay here.” Out of the mouth, the heart speaketh. Their false piety is nothing more than hypocrisy.  We will not stay here because “our” God said for us to go.  How like Saul when Samuel confronted him and like him, they quickly forgot their promise because it didn’t fit with their plans. Now it is not “your” God but, “our” God and, “our” God said; go to Egypt. Jeremiah reminded them:

God would not send confusing messages because He is not the author of confusion

Are we wanting God’s permission to do what we have already decided OR do we wait and listen for His voice to say: “You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying, “This is the correct way, walk in it,”  [Is 30:21]