Exile.. Seriously, it's a good thing!

On the way to church on Sunday morning, I was listening to the radio and the person was talking about how so many people just “wait” to start living. I’ve noticed this as well – in myself some and in others too. Some people think their life will start when they get married, or have kids, or when their kids leave the house. New job, new car, new house.. whatever they feel is lacking is what some people think is needed to feel whole.

The sermon on Sunday fit perfectly with what I heard on the radio. Weird how God handles that stuff, huh?

In Jeremiah 29, God has sent the Israelites into exile, and He tells them to plant gardens, to marry and have children. They are in EXILE – in Babylon!!! WHY oh why would God ask the Israelites, His chosen people, to settle down and make a home in Babylon and not wait for Jerusalem?

Because. He needed them to learn something. He needed them to trust Him. God needed the Israelites to know He would fulfill the promises he made

¹⁰ “For thus says the Lord, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.

God does the same thing for us today. He has made many promises in the Bible, and He loves us. Through that love, He will bring us through the challenges He will place or allow to be placed in our lives.

Did you know God also did NOT promise that our lives would be easy and filled with prosperity? Lots of us like to use Jeremiah 29:11 as a focal verse, but many forget the following two verses -

            Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NASB)

¹¹ For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. ¹² Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Call upon ME…Seek ME.. Come and pray to ME…

He says we will seek Him and find Him when we search with all of our heart. ALL.. not 1/4, not 2/3, not 9/10.. but ALL of our heart.

I promise, I have just as much of a hard time with this as anyone. Cause I know best.. I promise. For my life, for my child. I. Know. Best.

Don’t you??

We all think we know what is best for us, but if we were to truly let go and allow God to work in our lives, it wouldn’t be as scary as so many people think it would be.

I personally am terrified of what He wants me to do. Can I handle it? How will I manage? Will my child be accepting of the changes in our lives? Will I accept those changes?

13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart