In the Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 44, the people remaining in Judah made it clear that they just wanted the heck out of dodge once poop hit the fan. They asked for God's direction and heard His reply through the prophet Jeremiah: If they stayed and faced the current trouble in their land, God would restore peace and protect them from the disaster that seemed imminent. If they went back to Egypt, they would run into more poop.
Did they listen? No.
Instead, they chose to go back to what was comfortable for them. They chose Egypt. They chose their shortsighted knowledge and limited experience over the Lord's infinite wisdom and sovereignty. When they lived in Egypt before, it wasn't perfect. They had to make sacrifices and be slaves to fickle rulers. But at least they "had plenty to eat then, and [they] lived comfortably and saw no disaster" (44:17).
It sounds crazy, right? Who would choose a life of slavery and back-breaking work over a life rescued and protected by God?
Unfortunately, the land and life God had brought His people to wasn't going as they had planned. There were some hiccups that shook up their sense of security. They were scared of the unknown, and they wanted out. It was easier to return to what they knew than to face the discomfort of the moment and trust that God was in the process of making life better for them. Because they went back, however, they ended up exactly where they didn't want to be. God warned them that the trouble they were trying to avoid would follow them to Egypt, and it did. Rather than staying in a land whose enemies were flesh and blood, they went to a land whose enemy was the Lord of Armies Himself. "March into battle, you warriors.... That day belongs to the Almighty LORD of Armies. It is a day of vengeance when He will take revenge on His enemies. His sword will devour until its had enough, and it will drink their blood until its full" (46:9-10). Everything the people feared in Judah caught up with them in Egypt...the place they ran to and were convinced they knew so well, their comfort zone, was more uncomfortable than they ever imagined.
This so closely reflects our story, doesn't it?
You ran from us and we have run from you. When life in America didn't measure up to your expectations...when our family experienced some bumps in the road and it rattled your sense of security...it was easier for you to run back to what you knew than to face the discomfort of the moment. It was clearly difficult for you to trust that God was doing what He said He would when everything felt so out of your control. You weren't aiming to hurt us; you were protecting yourself from a perceived threat, however fictional it was.
Since, it has been difficult to surrender our fears and trust that God will protect us from our perceived threat of more heartbreak and more allegations at your hand, however fictional it might be. It has been easier for us to go back to the life we knew as a family of four than to face the unknown of re-engaging with you.
We all ignored God's promises and ran to "Egypt". We all ignored His assurances that He would have compassion on us and keep us from disaster and chose, instead, to go back to our comfort zones that were outside of God's will and protection and directly into the line of fire we were all hoping to avoid!
It sounds crazy because we are!
For the past year, I have been suffering a great depression, my thoughts spiraling more and more downward than ever before. I once had a house full of kids coming in and out and tons of friends to do life with. I'm now in a beautiful house, yet isolated from the world I once knew and am left with very few friendships that survived my vacuous heartache. I was avoiding more heartache and instead, ran smack into it. The irony.
I can't help but wonder how you have been feeling. Has your decision to run caused you more trouble than you originally imagined? Have your choices fallen short in restoring comfort and peace as well?
Never for a moment has our family doubted that the God of the Heavens and the Earth was in the process of rescuing you, Lucy. He would have restored peace in our relationship and our home had you stayed. We firmly believed this and hoped to convince you then. And God would have likely restored peace in our home and relationship sooner had the four of us continued to follow Him rather than protecting ourselves. We all made mistakes. We took wrong turns. And we've each been scattered in different places and situations far away from where we'd all rather be; far away from where God wanted us to be. You, Dad, and me have been captives bound by the lies that we can save ourselves. Yet, in Christ we've been set free!! Why do we ignorantly continue to go back into captivity? Why are we choosing a false sense of security over the real thing?! Why are we choosing tiring work over rest in His compassion and protection?
We certainly aren't going "entirely unpunished" for our poor choices, but praise God that we won't be "completely destroyed" (46:28)!! Our Lord is still on a rescue mission...for us all.
The Lord had mercy and spared His people then, and He wants to mercifully spare ours now.
"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will save it" (Luke 9:24). I'm over doing things my way. I've made a mess of myself, and I so badly want to be saved! My life is now His--no matter the cost. Have you hit your rock bottom yet? Are you ready to surrender your way of doing life to take hold of His that offers more than you could ask for or imagine? I'll forever be praying that you come back and find refuge in Him.
Did they listen? No.
Instead, they chose to go back to what was comfortable for them. They chose Egypt. They chose their shortsighted knowledge and limited experience over the Lord's infinite wisdom and sovereignty. When they lived in Egypt before, it wasn't perfect. They had to make sacrifices and be slaves to fickle rulers. But at least they "had plenty to eat then, and [they] lived comfortably and saw no disaster" (44:17).
It sounds crazy, right? Who would choose a life of slavery and back-breaking work over a life rescued and protected by God?
Unfortunately, the land and life God had brought His people to wasn't going as they had planned. There were some hiccups that shook up their sense of security. They were scared of the unknown, and they wanted out. It was easier to return to what they knew than to face the discomfort of the moment and trust that God was in the process of making life better for them. Because they went back, however, they ended up exactly where they didn't want to be. God warned them that the trouble they were trying to avoid would follow them to Egypt, and it did. Rather than staying in a land whose enemies were flesh and blood, they went to a land whose enemy was the Lord of Armies Himself. "March into battle, you warriors.... That day belongs to the Almighty LORD of Armies. It is a day of vengeance when He will take revenge on His enemies. His sword will devour until its had enough, and it will drink their blood until its full" (46:9-10). Everything the people feared in Judah caught up with them in Egypt...the place they ran to and were convinced they knew so well, their comfort zone, was more uncomfortable than they ever imagined.
This so closely reflects our story, doesn't it?
You ran from us and we have run from you. When life in America didn't measure up to your expectations...when our family experienced some bumps in the road and it rattled your sense of security...it was easier for you to run back to what you knew than to face the discomfort of the moment. It was clearly difficult for you to trust that God was doing what He said He would when everything felt so out of your control. You weren't aiming to hurt us; you were protecting yourself from a perceived threat, however fictional it was.
Since, it has been difficult to surrender our fears and trust that God will protect us from our perceived threat of more heartbreak and more allegations at your hand, however fictional it might be. It has been easier for us to go back to the life we knew as a family of four than to face the unknown of re-engaging with you.
We all ignored God's promises and ran to "Egypt". We all ignored His assurances that He would have compassion on us and keep us from disaster and chose, instead, to go back to our comfort zones that were outside of God's will and protection and directly into the line of fire we were all hoping to avoid!
It sounds crazy because we are!
For the past year, I have been suffering a great depression, my thoughts spiraling more and more downward than ever before. I once had a house full of kids coming in and out and tons of friends to do life with. I'm now in a beautiful house, yet isolated from the world I once knew and am left with very few friendships that survived my vacuous heartache. I was avoiding more heartache and instead, ran smack into it. The irony.
I can't help but wonder how you have been feeling. Has your decision to run caused you more trouble than you originally imagined? Have your choices fallen short in restoring comfort and peace as well?
Never for a moment has our family doubted that the God of the Heavens and the Earth was in the process of rescuing you, Lucy. He would have restored peace in our relationship and our home had you stayed. We firmly believed this and hoped to convince you then. And God would have likely restored peace in our home and relationship sooner had the four of us continued to follow Him rather than protecting ourselves. We all made mistakes. We took wrong turns. And we've each been scattered in different places and situations far away from where we'd all rather be; far away from where God wanted us to be. You, Dad, and me have been captives bound by the lies that we can save ourselves. Yet, in Christ we've been set free!! Why do we ignorantly continue to go back into captivity? Why are we choosing a false sense of security over the real thing?! Why are we choosing tiring work over rest in His compassion and protection?
We certainly aren't going "entirely unpunished" for our poor choices, but praise God that we won't be "completely destroyed" (46:28)!! Our Lord is still on a rescue mission...for us all.
"'Don't be afraid, my servant Jacob.
Don't be terrified, Israel.
I'm going to rescue you and your descendants from a faraway land, from the land where you are captives.
Then Jacob's descendants will again have undisturbed peace, and no one will make them afraid.
Don't be afraid, my servant Jacob,' declares the LORD. 'I am with you. I will completely destroy all the nations where I scattered you, but I will not completely destroy you.
I will correct you with justice. I won't let you go entirely unpunished.'"
-Jeremiah 46:27-28
The Lord had mercy and spared His people then, and He wants to mercifully spare ours now.
"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will save it" (Luke 9:24). I'm over doing things my way. I've made a mess of myself, and I so badly want to be saved! My life is now His--no matter the cost. Have you hit your rock bottom yet? Are you ready to surrender your way of doing life to take hold of His that offers more than you could ask for or imagine? I'll forever be praying that you come back and find refuge in Him.
I love you, Loo.
Mom
