Reading
SAA Notes
Letters are so important. They can encourage and greatly bless. Jeremiah writes to the exiles and assures them of God’s providential care and plan – verses 10-14. Jesus repeats verse 13 in His famous words on prayer – ask, seek, knock Matthew 7:7+.
SJA Notes
* Lord God, Your word is often hard for us. Please help us trust and obey You today and onwards.
“Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.”
What is this word from the Lord?
The nation of Israel is in exile, God’s people are in a land that is foreign and hostile.
They are in Babylon because of their sin, because of the Lord’s wrath against them.
(and remember Hananiah from yesterday’s passage, the lies he preached)
But in this passage we read of God’s mercies, His plans for His people.
And what a hard word this is!
MULTIPLY THERE. DO NOT DECREASE.
Shouldn’t we try and go back home, to the land You promised us God?
God is not finished.
“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.”
You can imagine – Did I hear that right?
SEEK THE WELFARE OF THIS PAGAN CITY?
“… For in its welfare you will find your welfare.”
Often we can find it hard to see God’s plans for us.
How can God be at work here in Australia? In the war-ravaged Middle-East or the broken kingdom of the United States? What about Europe or Asia or Africa, South America?
The answer we read here in Jeremiah is simple.
God is at work. Full-stop. And He works for our good. Full-stop.
This is for our encouragement – Are you encouraged by God’s plans revealed here in Jeremiah?
* Father God,
Thank You that You are at work at this time, as You have been across the ages.
As with the faithful in Israel, so with us. For Your glory.
Please mark us as Your people Lord, humble and contrite of heart.
Amen.