40 Days of PEACE
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of PEACE
Day 37| PEACE WHERE YOU ARE | Jeremiah 29:7
40 Days of PEACE
Day 37| PEACE WHERE YOU ARE | Jeremiah 29:7
PEACE WHERE YOU ARE
Jeremiah 29:7
“Seek peace and well-being for the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its peace (well-being) you will have peace.” (AMP)
What do you know about providence? (Not the city… the Biblical concept.)
Generally, providence denotes God’s preserving and governing ALL things through secondary causes. God’s providence extends to the natural world, the affairs of men, and individuals. Don’t forget, God IS on the throne!
The reason I ask is that this verse in Jeremiah is instructing His people to WORK for the peace and well-being of their captors, the Babylonians, where they were in exile at the time this instruction was given.
Pause and let that sink in. God had providentially allowed HIS people to be captured by the Babylonians. Why? We don’t know. However, for some reason that was part of His overarching plan for His people.
And the reason for the admonition to “seek peace and well-being” for these Babylonians, the prophet Jeremiah – inspired by the Holy Spirit – said was: “you will have peace (shalom).”
Shalom – a beautiful Hebrew word that translates into completeness, soundness, welfare, safety, perfect peace – is the word used in this verse.
Thus, MY translation of this verse might say: “Seek SHALOM for the Babylonian people and their country where I allowed you to be sent, and pray to ME on their behalf. For as they experience SHALOM, you will also experience SHALOM.”
It crosses my mind that typically we do NOT pray for those in authority with whom we disagree. We do not usually pray for their SHALOM. We do not pray that the enemy’s blinders be taken off of them so that they may turn to God.
I believe that was part of what God wanted the Israelites to learn here. Maybe He wants us to do similarly?
Prayer: LORD, please make it clear how I should pray for our country, our leaders, and those with whom I disagree. I want to experience your SHALOM. Thank You for offering me YOUR peace and rest. Amen.
Jeremiah 29:7
“Seek peace and well-being for the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its peace (well-being) you will have peace.” (AMP)
What do you know about providence? (Not the city… the Biblical concept.)
Generally, providence denotes God’s preserving and governing ALL things through secondary causes. God’s providence extends to the natural world, the affairs of men, and individuals. Don’t forget, God IS on the throne!
The reason I ask is that this verse in Jeremiah is instructing His people to WORK for the peace and well-being of their captors, the Babylonians, where they were in exile at the time this instruction was given.
Pause and let that sink in. God had providentially allowed HIS people to be captured by the Babylonians. Why? We don’t know. However, for some reason that was part of His overarching plan for His people.
And the reason for the admonition to “seek peace and well-being” for these Babylonians, the prophet Jeremiah – inspired by the Holy Spirit – said was: “you will have peace (shalom).”
Shalom – a beautiful Hebrew word that translates into completeness, soundness, welfare, safety, perfect peace – is the word used in this verse.
Thus, MY translation of this verse might say: “Seek SHALOM for the Babylonian people and their country where I allowed you to be sent, and pray to ME on their behalf. For as they experience SHALOM, you will also experience SHALOM.”
It crosses my mind that typically we do NOT pray for those in authority with whom we disagree. We do not usually pray for their SHALOM. We do not pray that the enemy’s blinders be taken off of them so that they may turn to God.
I believe that was part of what God wanted the Israelites to learn here. Maybe He wants us to do similarly?
Prayer: LORD, please make it clear how I should pray for our country, our leaders, and those with whom I disagree. I want to experience your SHALOM. Thank You for offering me YOUR peace and rest. Amen.