Jeremiah 42:7,10 Ten days later the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.... “If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I am grieved over the disaster I have inflicted on you”

Our scripture this morning offers two lessons in obedience.

First, obedience submits to God’s timing. Jeremiah’s answer came ten days after he began praying. We prefer immediate answers to our prayers. Sometimes God wants our patience.

No doubt, many of the people who had requested that Jeremiah pray on their behalf had already begun devising their own plans. But God had a plan and chose to wait to reveal it.

Second, obedience yields to God’s will. Through Jeremiah’s words, God made clear that His blessings would follow the people’s obedience.

As the passage shows, however, the people chose not to obey. They forsook God’s promised blessings because God’s words did not rubber-stamp the plan they had devised.

When we submit to God’s timing and yield to His will, our obedience will bring God’s blessings.

Thought for Today: God’s blessings always follow our obedience.