“Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will listen to the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us when we listen to the voice of the LORD our God.” ~ Jeremiah‬ ‭42:6‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

The message throughout Jeremiah essentially says that, if the people will surrender to the Babylonians and go willingly into the captivity God was sending them into, that He would be with them to provide a good life, see to their welfare, and bring them safely out at the end of their days of punishment. He warned the king to not fight God in this. The king refused to listen, went into captivity by force, and the last thing he saw before Nebuchadnezzar took his eyes was the death of all he loved. His days in captivity were harsh. In contrast, the prophet Daniel is one of the royal family who went willingly into God’s will and experienced His protection throughout his days.

The question is, were we in that situation, which would we choose? I have a friend that God instructed me to give this warning to. Following the instructions received through the reading of Jeremiah, he was told to admit his guilt to the courts, as he had done to me, take the deal they offered, and he would have God’s protection and his prison stay would be shortened. He refused to listen, fearing that his family would hate him. That was years ago. He is still in his forced captivity today, and his suffering is great.

Are we willing for God’s will, whether pleasant or unpleasant? Decide now, and stay the course. The first decision we must make is to believe all the scriptures teach about Jesus, the Christ, receive His sacrificial gift as our own, and lay our lives at His feet for His use in our days. Have you done that, Beloved? Today is the day of salvation, for we are not promised another. Your next breath could be the last.

None of us has assurance that we will live beyond our now. So, choose now: Jesus or not; life or death; blessing or curse; good or evil; prosperity or adversity. Choose Jesus, that you may have life, and have it abundantly despite the challenges of our days.