What way are you going to go?
I read recently in Jeremiah 40:4 “The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said… 4) And now look, I free you this day from the chains that were on your hand. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you. But if it seems wrong for you to come with me to Babylon, remain here. See all the land is before you; wherever it seems good and convenient for you to go, go there.”
This scripture has stayed on my heart since I read this. I’ve been thinking about the fact that because Jeremiah had spoken for God and it came to pass here is the Captain of the guard is ready to let him go. What is interesting to me is, He’s offering Jeremiah options.
Just like God provides us with options too. He frees us from chains of oppression and gives us liberty to choose. Precisely the same as Jeremiah got a choice of what direction he wanted to go. At times we can be liberated from a bondage and we are making a choice which seems best, but we end up right back into the bondage we left. That might be because we didn’t seek God for direction, and we decide to go back to the familiar.
Jeremiah didn’t choose right away. I believe He was waiting on God for His direction. We also will have to wait on God for direction when it’s unclear which direction to go.
“The word direction is defined as the path that someone takes, the path that must be taken to reach a specific place, the way you are facing.” Dictionary.com
I find it interesting to note that it says I free you of the chains being plural on your hand being singular. It appears only one hand had the chains on so throughout his captivity he can move around a bit. It’s the same thing for us we may be free in certain areas of our lives and then other areas there can be bondage. God desires to provide you with freedom in every area of life.
In this passage of scripture, the hand in the Hebrew Dictionary means “(the open one) [indicating power, means, direction] …”
Nebuzaradan the Captain of the Guard was providing Jeremiah freedom to go with the power to decide where he would like to go. Nebuzaradan also provided Jeremiah rations and a gift and let him go. When God liberates us, he doesn’t let you go empty handed he provides for the needs you have.
What is tying up your hand which makes you feel or believe you can’t go and do? What chain is preventing you from going in the right direction God needs for you to go? It’s as easy as releasing it over to God.
When we are unclear of our next step take time out and press into the Spirit in prayer and wait on God. He will reply to you. Knowing the correct way to go in life decisions may also be made easier if you line up to Gods Word. God’s word never steers us in the wrong direction.
What may be difficult in determining what is holding the hand from doing the things that you want is fear. Fear of failure or fear of the wrong choice. Fear does not necessarily need to prevent you from making a choice. Sometimes saying to yourself if I fail at least I attempted can help you to conquer making the step, fear can look a lot like a chain on your hand, but God wants to break this chain off your hand.
Jesus came to provide us with life abundantly and whatever is preventing you from full movement or surrender He will set you free. What ever direction you need to go God will lead you and set you free, but you must ask.
My prayer for you is: Father God, I lose the shackles of fear of failure and fear of making the wrong choice that is holding each person back from going and doing all they are called to do and I release them in Jesus mighty name to go and flourish for your Kingdom. Amen