Friday's Follow-up Verses
Jeremiah 29:1-14
1 This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This was after King Jehoiachin[a] and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) 3 He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:
4 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 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. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” 8 Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. 9 They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.
10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.[b] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
Footnotes:
[a] Jeremiah 29:2 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
[b] Jeremiah 29:14 Or will restore your fortunes
Pondering Point
Four days ago our IMMERSION devotion called you to seek the Lord with all your heart. Has anything changed since you prayed that prayer? Did God put something on your heart or mind and lead you to change in your schedule – or maybe how you seek Him?
If so, have you done anything about that?
If you have sensed nothing, have you continued to listen to see if God is trying to lead you?
Consider having this conversation with a trusted spiritual companion and discussing how God communicates with your heart.
Prayer
Pray through part six of Pastor Boetcher’s expansion of The Lord’s Prayer (provided below) about asking God to lead us.
Praying the Lord's Prayer
Part Six
Lead us not into temptation. We ask that You would lead us in all of Your ways. Open our eyes that we may see where You are working around us (John 4:34-35, John 5:19-20, 30). Open our ears that we may hear what You our Good Shepherd are saying to us (John 10:3-5, 16). Lead and guide our feet to walk upon Your paths (Psalms 25:10, 27:11). We thank You in advance for how You will lead us.