Jeremiah 1:14-15

Then the LORD said to me: “Out of the north calamity shall break forth On all the inhabitants of the land. For behold, I am calling All the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says the LORD; “They shall come and each one set his throne At the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, Against all its walls all around, And against all the cities of Judah."
Jeremiah 1:14-15 NKJV

God begins to tell Jeremiah the warning that He has for Judah. The period of peace that the nation is undergoing will not last forever. Because of the decisions that are being made in the nation, because of the rebellion against God that the people let stay in their hearts, because of the desire to worship that which was a lie instead of the truth that was God; calamity would come upon the land. It was not too late for anyone individually or for the nation as a whole. King Josiah would attempt to rid the nation of the idols and groves that were the outward evidence of the faithlessness of the people. But their hearts belonged to them. Each would have to choose for themselves whether to worship the true God or to worship gods made by man for man. Most would choose to worship wood and stone, to the destruction of the nation. God in His love would send His faithful prophets, men like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, to give the final warning and the final invitation to turn to God with a true desire to obey and serve Him in love. Some would listen and be saved. Daniel and his friends would grow to their youth while Josiah led his reformation and Jeremiah warned of the destruction that would be brought on by the failure to give true worship to God. They, and others like them, would choose to serve God faithful. God let the Babylonians carry some like Daniel and his friends into captivity before the final harrowing days of the final siege and destruction of Judah, so that they would be saved from the hardships that were to come.
God warned that from the north the kingdoms would come, and rulers would set their thrones at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem to give judgment on God's people. Judah had to choose between being judged by God or by pagan kings. They would choose whether God, who loved them and desired the best for them, would judge them or whether Nebuchadnezzar, who wanted them for his slaves to abuse and drain of all self respect, would judge them. Jeremiah's mission is to present the people with the warning and the invitation to choose God. Calamity and destruction and slavery, or life and peace with God. Which would I choose, which do I choose today?

Lord,
Help me to choose to worship You today. Give me a thankful and honest heart. I know that calamity and destruction awaits the world as Jesus told us in Matthew 24. I can choose to trust in You, and You will give me the strength to honestly give my life into Your hands. Help me to allow You to change my heart and reflect Your love on those around. Help me to be willing to give the warning to those around me, that they also can be saved by Your grace and know Your love.