Trapped

 But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.”  Jeremiah 40:4

Sometimes we can feel trapped; by circumstances, sickness, debt or even a relationship that has turned sour. What we do in those times is crucial to our future as we can see in many of the stories in the Bible. As I have been reading through the book of Jeremiah I wonder how often he felt trapped. He really was a 'prisoner of the Lord' as a prophet who had to bring some very severe warnings to God's people. At times it did get a bit too much and he stopped giving God's message but when he did it burned within him (Jeremiah 20:9); he had to continue to be obedient.

The apostle Paul also spoke of himself as a prisoner of the Lord (2 Timothy 1:8), not free to 'do his own thing' but subject to God's will in all things. If anyone could be justified in questioning God's love and mercy Paul could. He suffered beatings, shipwecks and other hardships (2 Corinthians 6) in his journey with Jesus Christ but he later said that he counted "all things loss for the surpassing knowledge of knowing Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:8).

When we are truly sold out to God, we can never be truly trapped because we are fully free when we are in His hands.  I urge you to read the story of Jeremiah in the early verses of chapter 40 because it is such a great example of how God looks after his people who are obedient and faithful to His cause.  Jeremiah had prophesied disaster upon the Israelites.  He told them that the Babylonians were coming to take them into exile and the day came when this word was fulfilled.  Jeremiah was found in chains by the Babylonian commander.  Obviously he had heard of Jeremiah's prophecies and advice to God's people.  Here was Jeremiah among all the other prisoners and he was hand-picked from among them and SET FREE.  He was told that he had the freedom of the land, he could do whatever he wished and go wherever he liked.  Not only that the commander gave him provisions and a present!

Sometimes we find ourselves trapped in a spot through no real fault of our own.  In such circumstances it is important to maintain an attitude of trust in our faithful God.  He will free us at the right time.  In the meantime take the opportunity to learn the lessons from the situation and add it to your store of wisdom.  It may be that you get to help someone else through their time of feeling trapped.  As you submit to God in it you will surely grow in grace and in the knowledge of your loving God.

Prayer: Heavenly Father,  when I feel trapped please help me to trust you to bring me through that time and into freedom again.  Help me to gain wisdom and understanding from everything that happens to me so that I can be a help and a blessing to others.  Amen