Loving God of all days, make this day be a special one for this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Jeremiah 29: 1 This is the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to what was left of the elders among the exiles, to the priests and prophets and all the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken to Babylon from Jerusalem. 4 This is the Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel's God, to all the exiles I've taken from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 "Build houses and make yourselves at home. "Put in gardens and eat what grows in that country. 6 "Marry and have children. Encourage your children to marry and have children so that you'll thrive in that country and not waste away. 7 "Make yourselves at home there and work for the country's welfare. "Pray for Babylon's well-being. If things go well for Babylon, things will go well for you."
It is never easy to find oneself in a new situation, setting, work place, or home. As a pastor I have gone through all of those. While moving, one moves not just to a new home, but a new work place, with new work helpers, partners, and sometimes, detractors. And while we find it easy to look back and wonder how our lives would be had we never moved, the reality is that the demands of the present call us to make the best of all situations. At age 13, I moved with my family from the safe, small, and family town of Kingsville, Texas, to the unknown evil empire of the North, Houston, Texas (I kid about the "evil empire of the North!). I went from the well-known to the complete unknown. For those first nights in a new home my younger brothers and sister cried and I would tell them stories of Kingsville and the folks back home, their quirks and sayings. Our lives would not have been what they are today had we not moved, and thank God we made the best of the situation.
The people of Israel were taken against their will from Jerusalme to Babylon. They were prisoners of war, exiles. Yet, the word of the Lord was for them to build home, plant gardens, eat what they grew, and to marry and have children; and encourage your children to have children. "Thrive in that country and not waste away (v.6). In other words, make the best of the situation. Their situations, like many of ours, could not be quickly reversed. The death of a spouse, the loss of a job, other unexpected and tramatic changes cause us to wonder if we should give up, but the Word of God is still true today: Make the best of all situations. Learn from what you have received, receive a blessing, thrive and do not waste away!
PRAYER: Loving God, You know what situation I find myself in and why. I may not like it completely or I may be struggling, but I trust You and I will take Your Word to heart. With Your help I will make the best of this situation, I will seek to thrive and not waste away. You have a purpose in my life and I will seek that to bless You and Yours. I pray this in Christ Jesus precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
