The Figs

Jeremiah 24 And the Lord said to me, What do you see, Jeremiah?

Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans. I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my My people and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.

And so He speaks to me....What do YOU see?

Today is about a good, hard look at myself. Am I just going with the direction of the wind blowing through my life or am I allowing the Lord to plant me?

I fear that at some point I stepped off the chosen pathway and now I cannot see a clear direction or a destination; lost in a forest. Trudging along and unwilling to admit that I have lost my way or the possibility that I have made a mistake. So, for this moment I will sit before the Lord and ask the blunt question, What in the world am I doing? Speak, Lord and I will obey because without Your direction I am floundering, hopelessly lost and without direction.

And He takes me to Jeremiah and asks me the blunt question, What do you see? And to be honest, mostly, I see a mess. Because at the end of the day, at least for my life, if I am not following in His will and plan, I am miserable no matter where I am. I feel out of sync, disconnected and disoriented.

So, again, I say amen Lord. You are righteous in all your ways and by agreeing with Him that He knows best... we have an understanding, peace is restored and joy comes back into my life.

So, what to do when you have made your latest mistake? Return to the Lord with you whole heart. Be a good fig.

I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be My people and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.

Admitting mistakes is never easy but compounding one bad choice with another is worse, I think.

Father I find that when I step outside of Your perfect plan at any point I am discontent. I cannot settle for anything less than what I know You have planned for me. Again and again I find myself straying off the pathway; looking for butterflies, following the wind, smelling the flowers. Thank You for drawing me back onto the pathway that You have chosen for me. Plant me where You know I will grow best and give me a heart that knows You.