SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 28-31
“Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:7)
To be exiled is to be barred from one’s native country, either for political or punitive reasons.
Jeremiah is urging the Jews to live faithfully wherever they are, as they wait for God’s promised restoration.
Don’t be bitter or rebellious, rather pray for your captors, for your oppressors.
This spirit of humility, trust and grace is what ought to characterize us as we live as citizens of God’s kingdom.
Love and bless your enemies… even slaves are urged to love and bless their masters – not because slavery is good but because love and blessing is!
How should we live in our communities – we should love and bless them too!
God has a great plan to restore our world, and we can be a foretaste of this by loving and blessing the world too.
God’s kingdom is coming, but many people do not realize it; perhaps if love, serve and bless our communities they will be drawn to desire God’s kingdom.
When Christians become known as negative, judgmental, aloof and unconcerned about their communities, they make the kingdom of God look bad.
The bonus in all this is that we are also blessed when our communities are blessed – it goes both ways!
We have seen this as a church as we love, serve and bless the public elementary school where we meet.
We are prospering with it, God is multiplying the blessings!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, You have placed us where we are to be salt and light, to be love and blessing. Even if this is not our native home, even if we are in exile, may Your kingdom shine through us, drawing others in!
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
Observation/Application
Again and again I read ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says.’ How does He speak to me this day?
The people were in captivity and were to be an example. They were to live in exile yet they were to prosper as God’s people. Wherever God’s people are, they are to live as an example – living in the world but not of the world. Listen to His Word and do the Word. God dwells among His people. He is with us also this day. We need to live every day as a day of the Lord. We/I need to be His people and He will be with us/me.
Lord, help me daily to see You as I live in Your Presence. Help me daily hear Your Voice saying – This is the Way. Walk in it. Help me to walk along the streams of living water.
Rejoice, for this is the day the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it for God, my God is with me always. Help me each day anew to walk in Your ‘SonShine.’
1
Lord, speak to me, that I may speak
In living echoes of Thy tone;
As Thou hast sought, so let me seek
Thy erring children lost and lone.
2
O lead me, Lord, that I may lead
The wandering and the wavering feet;
O feed me, Lord, that I may feed
Thy hungering ones with manna sweet.
3
O strengthen me, that while I stand
Firm on the rock, and strong in Thee,
I may stretch out a loving hand
To wrestlers with the troubled sea.
4
O teach me, Lord, that I may teach
The precious things Thou dost impart;
And wing my words, that they may reach
The hidden depths of many a heart.
5
O give Thine own sweet rest to me,
That I may speak with soothing power
A word in season, as from Thee
To weary ones in needful hour.
6
O fill me with Thy fulness, Lord,
Until my very heart o’erflow
In kindling thought and glowing word,
Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.
7
O use me, Lord, use even me,
Just as Thou wilt, and when, and where,
Until Thy blessed face I see,
Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share!