Seek the Welfare of the City – Jeremiah 29

A text – Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7

29:1 These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.
29:4 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:
29:5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce.
29:6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.
29:7 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.

A reflection:

What is happening as this letter from Jeremiah is written and sent? King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had conquered Israel and sent much of its population into exile in the king’s own land, to work as slaves there. These exiles included elders, priests, prophets, and the ordinary people. They have been marched out of their own land, their own homes, and taken to live, for God only knows how long, away from the land God had promised to them.

The second verse of this section says that the God of Israel is speaking to all the people God has sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. That is, God, not just Nebuchadnezzar, has sent these people out of their own land to be slaves in another land.

Here are the instructions God is giving them in this speech:

Build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat what they produce.

Take wives and have sons and daughters – and produce multiple generations – thrive!

Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, pray for it, for its welfare is your welfare.

Yes, God has allowed this thing to happen to God’s own chosen people. But a time of exile does not mean God has left their side. God wants them to continue their lives and to prosper and to use their existing relationship with their God to advocate for the welfare of their new home and neighbors. God will not stop blessing God’s chosen people. Things will just look quite different for a while.

If we find our changing world is sometimes unrecognizable, we may feel that we ourselves have been sent into exile. But God has not abandoned us. Our instructions are still to thrive and remain faithful, even in new circumstances, and to pray for the welfare of the city where we have been planted, for its welfare will be our welfare. We are to stay alive, engaged with our neighbors, and working for the welfare of our communities. God is in that work, and we and our neighbors will be blessed by it.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for remaining with us and encouraging us to thrive no mater our circumstance.  May we always remember that our community’s welfare is also our welfare.  Amen.