From the Journal Of...
Each week we will feature an inspiring devotion that was shared at our New Hope staff meeting. These scriptures are taken from the daily Bible reading which can also be found at: www.enewhope.org/bible For information on journaling you can check out: www.enewhope.org/firststeps/journaling.
August 22, 2006: Growing at Every Moment
Scripture
This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease."
Jeremiah 29:4-6
Observation
Israel in Babylon - a place far off from where they thought they should be. Not only do they find themselves in exile, but they are hearing from prophets that they might get to go back home soon. They have been given false hope. What the Lord really wanted them to do was to be content and focus on the basics of life - He wanted them building houses, growing gardens and having families. He wanted them to live life - focus on the basics and do them well. He wanted them to flourish in any environment. There was only one thing that He said they should not do and that is to decrease. God wanted Israel to increase in number and multiply. Out of the exile, God wanted to see Israel get back to the basics. God also wanted to bless them and He gave them that promise later on in the chapter - He has plans to - prosper them and not harm them, plans to give them a hope and a future. What God wanted them to do is to make the most of the situation that they found themselves in and flourish in it. Do what is necessary to grow. If they could grow in the desert - then they could grow anywhere.
Application
What is necessary for me to grow? I might not find myself in exile like Israel, but there are things in life that come up that I would rather not do or be involved in. What lessons can I take from this? What should I do? Verse 7 says that Israel should seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which they have been carried into exile - and pray to the Lord for it. God wants me to not only be content wherever he places me but He wants me to also learn to grow in that place too. The only thing that Israel wasn't suppose to do was decrease in number. In the same way, whenever I find myself in situations, tasks or relationships that I would rather leave by the way side - the Lord is saying to me - grow. Grow in spite of your surroundings. How do I do this Lord? Grow by getting back to the basics of spending time with Me - you will grow by helping prosper those around you and you will grow by praying for them. God wants me to be able to flourish in any situation that He would place me in. If I can flourish under pressure or in the desert, then I can flourish anywhere. I should not shrink in the face of adversity, but stand up to the challenge and grow for all that it is worth.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for your perspective and wisdom and your Word. Help me to always be focused on the basics that help me grow in you regardless of where I find myself. Help me to stay with the basics of spending time in your Word, in prayer and fellowship - living life. Help me to look for ways to prosper and pray for situations that I might find hard - that I might be planted in any environment and be able to flourish.