“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 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. 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…
“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.” Jeremiah 29:4-7,10-14
From the exiles’ point of view, life was stopped, at least paused, in this strange land. How could it thrive in the unfamiliar, under ruthless rule, without hope? From God’s viewpoint, this was only a 70-year blip in the life of His nation, and He had lessons to teach. What they saw as wilderness He intended for wholeness. What they saw as waste He planned for welfare. They were not to while away these meanwhile years unproductively, but to work and pray and make the most of exile anticipating their future.
In a success-driven or nationalist culture, setbacks and detours can be upsetting and destructive. When we are goal-oriented and boast rights to my dreams, my way, on my time schedule, we can miss the lessons and blessings of the journey. God works in the hard places and disruptions to cull away idols, train character, and redirect priorities. He can change perspectives of fruitfulness and success and His broad kingdom by interrupting our misconceptions and ease.
What setbacks or exiles are we experiencing, what longing is unfulfilled? How do we handle unwanted or unexpected meanwhile years of singleness before marriage, a difficult work environment, temporary housing, economic stress, a medical setback or condition? Do we complain, languish, waste the season? Do we nurture resentment and pause productivity? Or do we make the most of the opportunity to grow in faith, to learn from that environment or multiply influence for Christ in that place?
What habits and motivations is the Lord addressing by unwanted circumstances? What occasions is He giving to hone compassion, respect, industry, reoriented loves? What commands can we take seriously to redirect today’s efforts in challenging situations? What promises will energize our exile? How we manage our ‘whiles’ determines our readiness for the hope-filled plans God’s preparing. (Galatians 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; 2 Thessalonians 3:13)
Father, help me this day to obey and honor You with zeal in light of that day.
As the rain and snow 