Blessed indeed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it well. Israel as a nation frequently went against what she knew to be God's Will - there seemed no limit to her wilful disobedience. All this was despite God revealing Himself to her and showering His blessings and care on her. Yet, she remained obstinate, ignoring her responsibilities towards God in the Covenant He had made with her. Israel turned to other gods, allying with foreign nations that worshipped them instead of trusting her God, who had called and led her out of the darkness. Consequently, she paid the price - destruction and exile - for not having heeded the warning of Jeremiah and others like him.

We, too, are often no different from Israel. We may read our Bibles daily, having it all at our fingertips, but we fall short when living out of God's Word. His demands seem too great, and our own way seems more desirable.

While we should not be fundamentalistic in things that evil will befall us as a direct result, we should nevertheless remind ourselves of the blessedness that stems from the fact that we know that our life aligns with what God wants of us. This way, we can journey through life confident of God's care and protection despite various obstacles.