Read Jeremiah 29:1-23. In times of trouble, you may feel that God has forgotten you. But nothing is further from the truth.
God’s people were in trouble. They had been taken from the city of Jerusalem, that now lay in ruins, and enslaved in the enemy city of Babylon. They had no idea what to do. To make it worse, God’s prophet, Jeremiah, writes to them to let them know God’s plan is that it’s going to be like this for a generation. They weren’t going home any time soon. In fact, most of them would not be going home at all.
It’s not a surprise that in those circumstances, they felt forgotten by God. But Jeremiah reminded them this was not the case. God promised that one day he would give them a new purpose and turn them into a new people. One day, God’s people would go home.
You may feel in exile now. You may feel as if you’d rather be anywhere else than where you are right now. And that can be down to difficult circumstances as much as geographical location. But God is still working in your life. He has not forgotten you. Maybe right now, as you look for a way to escape, God is preparing you for a new beginning, with him right at the heart.
THINK IT OVER
Think about the following:
oWhat can you do to embrace the life and place where God has placed you right now?
