Jeremiah 29

Ah, I knew one of these days I’d come to Jeremiah 29. It contains one of my favorite verses (which we’ll get to in a moment). I figured I would simply write about that verse when I came to this chapter, but something else caught my attention that has thrown the whole deal into a new light for me.

My favorite verse is one of the famous ones: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (vs 11) I’m sure this has been the key text for many a graduation speech, and it’s something so important to remember—that God has wonderful plans for us, and He is always seeking to prosper us.

But I had never realized what came before: “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ‘Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.’” (vs 4-7)

This was part of a letter that Jeremiah sent to the people who had been carried off into Babylonian exile, and when you consider that they were going to be there for 70 years, the likelihood is that most of those who first read the letter were going to die in Babylon. So, when God continued on to say that He had plans to prosper them, that meant He was going to do it in the land of their enemies!

In other words, what God was saying to His people was, Don’t wait until some future time to “live your life.” Live today! Right now! Right where you are! Do the very best with what you have and trust Me for the rest. I can bless you richly—even in a foreign land.

Maybe you feel like you’re in exile. Maybe you feel like life could be so much better “if only”… Well, let me tell you, God wants you to live right now! You may not be in your dream job or your dream home. In fact, your dream may flat out feel like a nightmare, but God is more than able and willing to bless you and prosper you today, right where you are.

You won’t always be where you are today. If you’re in a valley, you’ll be on the mountaintop again. If you’re on the mountain, I’m sure there’s a valley somewhere in your future. But wherever you happen to be today, build a house and settle down. Enjoy your surroundings. Savor every moment.

Make sure you don’t let the life God has for you today pass you by!