August 29, 2001
"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
I was thinking about this particular verse again this morning... what a challenge... I'm sure there is some self interest involved in this... beyond that I wondered what it was God was trying to get them to understand. Perhaps since they were accustomed to going to the Temple to pray for vengeance against their enemies, particularly Babylon.. What a HUGE change/challenge to live in their city, amidst the people and pray for their prosperity and welfare! Maybe God was trying to help them see himself, their faith differently. In the Jewish mind, apart from Jerusalem, the Temple and everything they got their security from.. there could be no worship of God. But God is telling them in vs 12-13 that if they really seek him, they will find him - even in Babylon. What's the point... we lose sight of God amid the forms of worship. They thought they lost everything when in reality they lost nothing! It made me think that at times, my worship or understanding of God is based on my circumstances. Sometimes I feel like I've lost things essential to my faith when really I've lost nothing - faith is about God, who he is and he is not constrained by anything. If I seek after him no matter where I am or what I'm going through I will find him!!