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1 These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 4 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 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. 7 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 29:1, 4-7 NRSV)
May this Wednesday be a wonderful day for you, dear Friend, and for your yours; loved ones, friends, neighbors, and community.
Have you ever found yourself in a place that you maybe didn't ask to be in? What did you do? In this passage, I will concentrate on the last verse of the passage for it spoke to my heart. "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." The reality was that the prophet knew the loneliness and the pressures of being a prisoner of war, captive from Judah in Babylon. The word comes as a form of hope even in the midst of where these prisoners found themselves. And to have God say to seek the wellbeing of the city in which you found yourselves, and in the wellbeing you will find wellbeing for yourself.
Just tonight Nellie read to me a very sad passage from a pastor in another state who confessed that being a pastor is one of the loneliest jobs you can have. And he asked if there were other pastors who resonated with that to contact him on social media, where the post came from. It made me sad because he's right; sometimes serving God in a town or city you didn't ask to be sent to can be a bit daunting. Of course I am blessed in that I married before I got my first church and so I had a loving, understanding wife that I could go home to and share with her my day and the challenges of the day. I know there are some not so blessed. I would pray that what God told Jeremiah would bless the pastor who posted of his loneliness and others who may feel a bit alone or out of place, for the sooner we connect with our "Babylon" the sooner we can truly engage the work of Jesus and the blessings will flow. It's a matter of choice. And a matter of attitude. Last week we read of these captives sitting by the rivers of Babylon and being asked to sing their songs, and their attitude of sadness and defeat prevented them from singing. Then God stepped in with the prophetic word of hope coming from actions that sadness had prevented from taking place. "Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they 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 a list! Nothing says I am glad to be here than to build a house and live in it. That shows the putting down of roots. The planting of gardens also is a sign of not only stability but contentment as well. And to start a family also says a lot of permanence. As goes the family, so goes the community; a blessed family blesses the community. And to bring it to today, a blessed pastor blesses the church and the work of God.
Friend, if you're feeling down about where you find yourself today, the first thing you must tell yourself is that it's not over yet. You believe in God, trust in Him as well. If anyone knows your heart and your situation, it is God. Share with Him your heart, your doubts and your pain. No one will better understand than Him. Pray in a listening mode. Share but listen too. God will lift your heart. And if you're truly serious about bettering your situation and your place, just ask God to bless you to be a blessing. And please know you're never alone. God will richly bless you.
PRAYER: Awesome God bless this dear reader. You better than anyone know his/her needs, fears, pains, and doubt. Be at work on him/her even now, and may Your will be done. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Make the most of now in a way that blesses someone.
Blessings of love,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
