Jump Start # 3694

Jeremiah 29:7  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 have welfare.’

I write this last Friday. Yesterday was election day. And, today, if the results are known and final, there will be a mixture of emotions racing through the nation. Some will be dancing with delight. Others will be in despair. Some will claim the results were fixed and rigged. Millions and millions of dollars have poured into this election, buying ads to convince us who to vote for. For the candidates that lost, it will seem like a lot of money that went down the drain. For the winners, it will seem like money well spent.

And, now it is over. Will anything change? Will we even notice a difference? The national election has been billed as the election of a lifetime. Some have viewed it as the most important election in the country’s history.

Some perspectives for us:

First, as we read about the role that the Christian has to the government, especially Paul’s words in Romans and Peter’s words in his first letter, remember, the government they knew didn’t allow citizens to vote for the ruler. God’s people have seen oppressive rulers and difficult times. Egypt. Assyria. Babylon. Rome. The people of God have cried to the Lord because of the hardships that they endured. Persecuted. Driven from homes. Abused. Killed. God’s people have experienced the worst of rulers. Keep that in mind.

Second, when God sent Judah into Babylon as a form of punishment, God didn’t leave them alone. It wasn’t like being sent to your room for a while. God had instructions for them. Jeremiah wrote a letter to those exiled in Babylon. The words were not, “good luck, you are on your own now.” Rather, as our verse says so well, Judah was to seek the welfare of Babylon. They were to pray for Babylon’s welfare.

A hostile nation. Pagan. Offering foods that Judah could not eat. Given new names that were blasphemous and offensive. Forced to bow before idols. Threatened with death if they did not go along. These enemies were the ones who robbed God’s holy temple. They destroyed the city of David. They killed many. And, God was using them as punishers for His people.

And, what did God expect Judah to do while in captivity? Wait for a chance to break free? Nope. Overthrow the capital? No. Kill the king. Never. Judah was to be a blessing while there. They were to plant gardens, build houses and seek the welfare of the city. Three times in our verse today the word ‘welfare’ is used. The Hebrew is SHALOM—peace.

When the history of Babylon was written, one of the highlights would be the time Judah was there. Judah made Babylon better. The Babylonians did not have to keep an eye on Judah. They didn’t have to set more guards around them. Judah was a blessing. Among the enemy. A different culture. A different language. Judah was to pray and seek the welfare of this foreign place.

Should it be any different for us? We live in a world whose culture is so different than ours. While we may all speak English, we are not facing the same direction. There are things that are offensive to us here. There are things that are blasphemous. Are we to rebel? Are we to break free? Are we to riot? Instead, like Judah of old, God expects us to be a blessing to this land. We are to live, seeking the welfare of this country. We are to pray for the welfare of the land. And, when the history of this country is written, it ought to be said, that the time Christians were among us, was one of the best times. The Christians made this country a better place.

Now, are we seeking the welfare of this land, when we complain and post negative things on social media? If God expected more from His people in Babylon, what do you think He expects of us? Maybe we ought to pray more and gripe less. Maybe we ought to think how we can be a blessing to this place?

Our times need to see examples of marriages that thrive. People understand hatred and ugliness. They need to be shown grace, compassion and forgiveness. People live with dysfunction. They need to see how things work right. Unity, love and hope is something that God’s people can bring even in a culture that is so different.

The interesting flow in Jeremiah 29, is that God promises to bring His people back home to Judah. Be a blessing there, but don’t forget where your real home is. And, it’s no different for us. Be a blessing here, but don’t forget that our real home is in Heaven with God.

The election is over…but our work and our responsibilities have just begun.

Roger