What's the difference?
As the account of Zedekiah and Jeremiah continues, we see a striking contrast between these two men.
"Then Zedekiah the king said, "Look, he is in your hand. For the king can do nothing against you." So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the king's son, which was in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire. So Jeremiah sank in the mire." Jeremiah 38:5-6
We don't know exactly how long Jeremiah remained imprisoned, but the biblical record indicates that his confinement extended over a significant period, potentially several months to more than a year. Yet consider the contrast before us.
Zedekiah, fearful and disobedient, ruled from the throne, while Jeremiah, faithful and obedient, remained steadfast even in the muck and mire.
What was the difference?
Jeremiah's foundation was his relationship with the Lord, while Zedekiah allowed himself to be governed by the ever-changing circumstances around him. His fears, the influence of others, and the potential consequences of obedience became his compass. Jeremiah, on the other hand, trusted the word of the Lord, even when obedience meant standing against the tide of the world around him.
From the outside looking in, it would appear that Zedekiah was the blessed one and Jeremiah had gotten the short end of the stick. One sat on a throne while the other sank in the mire. But appearances can be deceiving!
Where is the foundation of your actions? Or perhaps the better question is, upon whom is your foundation built?
Are you allowing fear, circumstances, and the opinions of others to govern your decisions? Or is Jesus truly your Lord?
We all must choose.
My prayer for each of us is that we would firmly establish our faith upon the Rock, finding our strength in Christ and allowing Him to be the foundation from which we make our decisions, not the shifting sands of the world around us.
-To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.