SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 21
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the LORD says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death. Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives. [Jeremiah 21:8-9]
The city is under seige, and God gives them this choice – surrender or die!
We have to remember that the city, the leaders, the people were very corrupt and perverse, and God is finally dealing with it.
Yes, the innocent would then be taken as slaves, and would suffer (Jeremiah ends up going too), but God will watch over them, and they will survive.
(In fact, later on when God arranges for them to go back to Israel, many stay in Babylon because it has gone so well for them).
But the leaders would not be so fortunate – the prophets, the priests and the kings that allowed/caused this deterioration in the land.
I will punish you as your deeds deserve, declares the LORD. I will kindle a fire in your forests that will consume everything around you.’” [Jeremiah 21:14]

What a choice, surrender to the enemy or die.
Give up whatever security and wealth you have attained in this world, and take your chances with God, surrender to His purpose.
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. [Mark 10:21-22]
Did this man have an easier time than the people in Jerusalem?
Give up everything, entrust yourself to God’s purpose and provision?
But notice the first words – Jesus looked at him and loved him!
I believe this is the same idea behind God’s words through Jeremiah to the people under seige, trapped by their own sin.
Let go, get out of that life, it’s killing you!

God looks at us with love to and pleads with us to let go, to give up the things that are enslaving and killing us.
It is not punishment or revenge that leads Him to call us to surrender our lives to Him, and to trust Him for His purpose and provision.
He sees where our selfish, sinful life is leading, and is passionately calling us to get out of there.
Through Jesus, He says, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.
It may seem that following Jesus is the way of death, but it is actually the way to life; it may seem that clinging to worldly stuff is life, but it is actually the way to death.
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? [Matthew 16:25-26]

PRAYER:
Lord, thank You for loving me enough to challenge me to let go of the things that are killing me. Help me to make the right choice!