"Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, 'Thus says the LORD, the god of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will only surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire..."
(Jeremiah 38:17)
The "American Spirit" is one of 'rugged individualism.' Work hard! Fihgt hard! Never give up! Never back down!! It's a spirit that pervades movies & books. We're big fans of the Underdog, too! All of this combined makes it hard to hear Jeremiah's words to King Zedekiah here in chapter 38. "If you will only surrender..." Of course, in war, there are times when surrender is the only viable options. But here, at least, it wasn't "that bad" yet, tactically speaking. Nevertheless, Jeremiah counseled the king (in secret) to surrender (note: the King eventually refused! He fled the city & was unceremoniously captured. Even his eyes were gouged out! Ugh.)
Thinking more about our "never give up" mentality... might there be times when God desires our surrender?!? We have our own plans/ideas/strategies... and often we'll "stay the course," no matter what. "Let it go," says the LORD. Surrender. Allow another force to influence what will happen to you and your life. Give in to the reality that you will not always be in control of your own life & destiny.
Could it be that God can use "foreign powers" as part of His plans? Of course! But it shaped their character in a profound way. What about MY life today? Am I bent on maintaining absolute power & ultimate control over my life? Or might I need to surrender, at times, and allow other influences to be in control? Id' like to think I'd be willing to let God use any means God needs to guide me. I'd like to think...
PRAYER: Lord, it's You, not me, in control. Open my ears to hear Your Spirit's instructions... even if it means giving up my plans for Yours. If a time comes for me to surrender, may I not be too self-righteous to follow. AMEN.
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