Reflection on Jeremiah 29:1-7

Scripture
Work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.

Observation
After the royal family, the government officials and the cultural and technological elite are taken away into exile in Babylon, Jeremiah sends a letter to encourage them.

The time for warning of punishment is now past as the promised disaster has happened.

Jeremiah says it is God's will for His people to be there, so they must settle down in Babylon. They should build houses and plant gardens, marry and have children, working for the welfare of the city.

Application
Jeremiah gives us here three tasks that are applicable to all christians:

1. Work for peace where we are. God's people are to be peace-makers.

2. Work for the prosperity of the city. We are not to remain in poverty or in a ghetto. We must be contributors to the common good, building the physical resources of our community.

3. Pray for the welfare of the city. Wealth without spiritual health is useless. We are to pray for God's favour on the city, especially for people to be open to the Good News.

Christians must be engaged with the community even when the community seems indifferent or even hostile to God.

Prayer
Lord you plant all of us in communities where the welfare of the town or city determines our own welfare. I pray for prosperity, favour and revival in my town today. Amen.