God's Garden - Pt. 11

 

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 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. 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. For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the LORD. For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:4-11 ESV).

 

This picture was taken at the state line between North Carolina and Tennessee, more specifically at Newfound Gap. You can see the background of the Smoky Mountains (and a tour bus) providing the scene. Mary and I have been privileged to live in three states: Texas (our home state), North Carolina, and Tennessee. Each has provided us with a different experience as they are so different from each other. With those differences, we can honestly say that each location was wonderful. And, in each of the locations we did our best to “plant our gardens,” both literally and spiritually.  

 

This is the backdrop for our reading today. God’s prophet Jeremiah relayed the message that God’s people would be in the foreign city of Babylon for many years. The deeper reason behind the command to “plant gardens” could well have been that it takes time to get a good garden going. God wanted his people to put down roots in this city where they would be living for seventy years. God had plans and purposes beyond anything they could have dreaded or imagined.

 

For whatever length of time God plants us in unfamiliar and perhaps uncomfortable surroundings, his vision is for much more than our day-to-day existence and passing time. When you put down roots and “seek the peace and prosperity” of any place where God sends you, you will also more likely obey his command to pray for that community. The promised harvest that comes with a cultivated obedience to this command is that “you too will prosper.” I’ve caught a glimpse of that during our time n each of the locations we’ve lived. My prayer is that you will catch that same vision where you are!