Jeremiah 29 - pray for your city

The Israelites had been deported to Babylon. They thought God was going to restore them immediately. They were in denial. They were tempted to just wait. That might have seemed the faithful thing to do.

There have been times in the 2000 years of Christianity were a similar delusion has come to faithful Christians. They thought God was coming right back. It would show a lack of faith to get involved in the world.

Jeremiah, always the bearer of bad new, now is called upon to deliver another unpopular message. He had to tell them would be evicted. Now he has to tell them to "bloom where they are planted".

Jeremiah told them two things that certainly apply to us today. Verses 5 and 6: Build houses and settle in the land. Plant gardens and eat the fruit you grow. Get married and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons. Let your daughters be married so they may also have sons and daughters. Have many children and grow in number in Babylon. Don't become fewer in number.

In Revelation Babylon is used as an image of evil. The world in basically evil. Yet we are to live here and in righteousness enjoy the fruits of our land. Fruit is the sweetest thing we can eat. Getting married and having children can be fun. Sex is one of the most enjoyable things we can do. It is truly enjoyable when the children likely to be produced are wanted. Children also are a joy and a hope for the future. Children can also be a heartache and a disappointment. They represent the future and overall are a great joy. We do not look back on our family years with regret but with satisfaction.

This is part of being in the world.

Secondly verse 7: Also do good things for the city where I sent you as captives. Pray to the Lord for the city where you are living. If there is peace in that city you will have peace also.

This is where we show we are not of the world. We trust God before things and other people. We ask God for peace. We know this is where peace comes from. Also Jeremiah tells us to do good things for the city. Good works do not save. But they tell unbelievers of the loving God we serve. Let us serve the poor, those in any need. Let us speak out for justice for all. It shows that we are in the world and involved, but not like the world. We do not seek for ourselves exclusively.

Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:2 to pray for rulers too. That is a practical way to pray for peace. "you should pray for kings and for all who have authority. Pray for the leaders so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives - lives full of worship and respect for God."

I cannot find a place in the New Testament where Paul says to pray for the city's prosperity. But I think it is there. Certainly peace and prosperity go together. We cannot have one without the other. I have renewed my eagerness to pray for prosperity. Prosperity for my neighborhood and my neighbors specifically, prosperity for my city, prosperity for my state, prosperity for my country, prosperity for the whole world. I think it is important to start with the smaller and the more personal. That is where we are likely to see God's answer and be able to bless him for it.

Pray for you city. Pray for peace and prosperity. Do good also. God wants you to. It is your calling. If God wants you to do it then he will bless your efforts. Do it.