The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to make a proclamation of liberty to them, that everyone should set free his Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should enslave a Jew, his brother. And they obeyed, all the officials and all the people who had entered into the covenant that everyone would set free his slave, male or female, so that they would not be enslaved again. They obeyed and set them free. But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them into subjection as slaves.
The thought that strikes me about this passage every time I read it, is that obedience often comes at a non-trivial cost. At least on the materialistic surface. The second thought is that the first thought occurred to the Jews after obeying.
However, the net cost of obedience to the LORD, God, the Almighty's will and instructions is always a net benefit to me. Don't be Lot's wife and look back at the 'sweet savor' of disobedience.
Today's readings in the Psalms:
Morning: Psalm
Mid-day: 119:
Evening: Psalm
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