Good morning -
It's the great Christian paradox: we live in the world but we are not to be of it (John 17:15-16). How do we live a Kingdom lifestyle while living in the world?
Many of God's words to Jeremiah were directed to the Jewish people about living in exile in a foreign land. They had incurred the wrath of God because of their disobedience and were taken away into captivity in Babylon. While they were there God gave these instructions:
"Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. 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 have welfare." (Jeremiah 29:5-7)
It seems that we also are exiles in a foreign land as we await the Kingdom of God, and so these words have significance for us: build houses, plant gardens, marry, raise children, actively seek the Lord's favor upon the land of our exile. Basically, live normal lives while never forgetting the most important perspective: our true allegiance is to the government which is to come; which exists in part invisibly today.
Amidst our lives "in exile" comes a great promise: "For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD YHWH, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you." (Jeremiah 29:11-12)
We are on a progressive path set before us by the Lord, regardless of the setbacks that we seem to face. The Lord has the ultimate plan for our welfare and future; a plan filled with hope and possibility. His invitation to us is to come to Him, and call upon Him, and pray. He assures us of an audience; He will listen.
I've had plenty of moments of doubt and concern about my immediate future at times in life. I've lost jobs and faced setbacks, as so many of you have. Yet I'm reminded that the ultimate plan of God has never changed or been compromised or threatened. God's words through Jeremiah remind us that His ultimate plan is the building of character that enables us to live today as citizens of the kingdom to come. Regardless of how today's circumstances may appear, be assured that they fit in to His plans for your hope and future.
Anticipating the working of the plan amidst today's activities,
Pastor Steve
It's the great Christian paradox: we live in the world but we are not to be of it (John 17:15-16). How do we live a Kingdom lifestyle while living in the world?
Many of God's words to Jeremiah were directed to the Jewish people about living in exile in a foreign land. They had incurred the wrath of God because of their disobedience and were taken away into captivity in Babylon. While they were there God gave these instructions:
"Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. 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 have welfare." (Jeremiah 29:5-7)
It seems that we also are exiles in a foreign land as we await the Kingdom of God, and so these words have significance for us: build houses, plant gardens, marry, raise children, actively seek the Lord's favor upon the land of our exile. Basically, live normal lives while never forgetting the most important perspective: our true allegiance is to the government which is to come; which exists in part invisibly today.
Amidst our lives "in exile" comes a great promise: "For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD YHWH, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you." (Jeremiah 29:11-12)
We are on a progressive path set before us by the Lord, regardless of the setbacks that we seem to face. The Lord has the ultimate plan for our welfare and future; a plan filled with hope and possibility. His invitation to us is to come to Him, and call upon Him, and pray. He assures us of an audience; He will listen.
I've had plenty of moments of doubt and concern about my immediate future at times in life. I've lost jobs and faced setbacks, as so many of you have. Yet I'm reminded that the ultimate plan of God has never changed or been compromised or threatened. God's words through Jeremiah remind us that His ultimate plan is the building of character that enables us to live today as citizens of the kingdom to come. Regardless of how today's circumstances may appear, be assured that they fit in to His plans for your hope and future.
Anticipating the working of the plan amidst today's activities,
Pastor Steve
posted by steve @ 10:18 AM
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