“At the end of ten days the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah” (Jeremiah 42:7 ESV).
After Jerusalem fell to Babylon, a small remnant of Jews remained in Judah under the governor Gedaliah. But when Gedaliah was assassinated, the survivors feared Babylonian retaliation. Led by Johanan, they considered fleeing to Egypt for safety. Before leaving, they asked Jeremiah to seek God’s direction, promising to obey whatever the Lord commanded.
Yet God did not answer immediately. Ten days passed before His Word came to Jeremiah. Scripture does not explain why God delayed His answer. But when it finally came, He instructed them to remain in Judah and trust Him for protection. Sadly, they rejected His Word and fled to Egypt anyway.
What a striking contrast between Jeremiah’s willingness to wait for God’s Word and the people’s unwillingness to obey it! They wanted God’s guidance, but only if it agreed with their own plans.
Waiting on God is never wasted time. He calls us not only to seek His will, but also to trust His timing and obey His Word. Yet how often do we ask God for direction when we have already decided what we want to do?
We must ask ourselves: Are we truly seeking God’s will, or are we simply waiting for Him to agree with ours?
Jesus showed us what perfect submission looks like when He prayed in Gethsemane, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). His obedience led Him to the cross, where He accomplished our salvation.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, forgive us for insisting on our own way rather than surrendering to Your will. Teach us to wait patiently upon You, trust Your timing, and obey Your Word, even when it contradicts our desires. Help us follow the example of Jesus, surrendering our will to Yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.