Jeremiah 27, 28, 29
Focus Verse: But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. – Jeremiah 29:7
Because of their persistent disobedience, God’s people were living as exiles in a strange land. In a short space of time, they went from living in the promised land of Jerusalem to living in the heathen land of Babylon. Their easy and light yoke was replaced with a hard and heavy one. Yet, God did not instruct His people to curse their new yoke, to rebel against their new king, or to despair in the new land they were living in.
He called for them to prosper…to multiply…and to increase.
He called for them to seek the health, happiness and prosperity of Babylon. He called for them to pray for Babylon. He called for them to bless Babylon. In seeking the health, happiness and prosperity of Babylon, they would find their own health, happiness and prosperity. In being a blessing to Babylon, they would find a blessing of their own.
When we find ourselves in a place of exile, due to disobedience to God or for another reason, God does not want us to despair. Our place of exile may be a less than ideal job, a tight financial season, or a relationship with a difficult partner…but whatever the case, we can flourish in spite of the circumstances.
It may be that in praying for the prosperity of the less than ideal job we are in or in seeking the health and happiness of our difficult partner, we will find our own health, happiness, and prosperity. It may be that in being a blessing amid our financial tightness, we will find our own blessing.
Because our faith is in Jesus the Christ and because the power of God is within us, we can prosper, multiply, and increase wherever we are…not only when we’re in Jerusalem, but when we’re in Babylon; not only when we’re in a welcoming place, but also when we’re in a place of exile.