“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 29:7.
This has been my favorite verse as of late. It hits me on many levels of my life.
- I’m in “exile”. This is not my home. As a believer in Jesus Christ, I’m here temporarily as the ambassador of Christ seeking to represent Him and His kingdom by His grace. Heaven is my home.
- God sent me here. My authority and purpose comes from God alone. Being fearfully and wonderfully made, there is a purpose that I’m to fulfill and be obedient too.
- I’m to seek the welfare/peace of those in the city. This is a mandate of God to His people. While this is an Old Testament passage for a specific time and people, there is a real practical parallel when we look at Matthew 28 and the great commission; also the effective playing out of the book of Acts.
- I’m to intercede for the people. The prayer of intercession is a command that is given by God Himself. That I become integral and integrated into the life of the the community, being able to beseech God on it’s behalf.
- That when the city (the people) prospers, so will I. Everything about this verse is outward focused, save this part. There is something in us that wants things to go well in our lives. This is accomplished when we focus on the betterment of others, we too are then better. This is the paradox of Christianity… when we lose our lives for Christ’s sake, we find them. When we become servants to the “least of these”, we are among the greats in the Kingdom.
I find the few verses that come after this verse pretty humorous.
“For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 29:8–9
You have God telling the people, through Jeremiah, don’t listen to your prophets. The prophets normally spoke for God, they were His mouth piece. But here He says, “do not listen to them… I did not send them.” Meaning that there was an ordained time to where He was sending them into exile. He was purposefully sending them into hardship. Sending them to a specific place, with a specific purpose, for a specific time. If there was someone with a contrary message... it wasn't from God, even if they said it was!
Now, look again at the list I wrote above.
I think there is something we need to consider changing if our actions and rhetoric alienate us and distance us from the people we are sent to serve. It’s easy to serve ourselves and look out for our own interests. As Christians, we are called to serve something and Someone greater. Who are we to be serving? Ultimately, Jesus, but played out through those we find around us as we examine where we live, work, and play.
“Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ Matthew 25:44–45
This isn’t an easy thing to do. It’s actually really hard to do consistently. The balance we strike is striving to be holy and righteous in our conduct in and amongst an unrighteous people, who may or may not want anything to do with us. I strive to serve and fear a holy God and at the same time show grace and mercy to those I come in contact with, because He shows that same extravagant grace to me.
Studying the gospels, I feel that the more I grasp and see what Jesus has done, I have an example to follow. Seeing my own need for Jesus, gives me the tenacity to pursue others and the ideas of how I might be apart of sowing shalom in my city.
May God grant us the grace and strength to pursue “the city”, seeking it’s peace and welfare. For when it prospers, so will we.
All Bible verses quoted from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.