Scripture:
Jeremiah 29:10-14 NKJV
[10] For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. [11] For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. [12] Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. [13] And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. [14] I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.
Observation:
I know that I have written about this portion of scripture several times. It contains one of the most commonly used verses that I hear. A verse that gives hope to those who use it. In fact, it’s a verse that gives me hope. However, I want to break it down this morning so we can gain a proper understanding of what is really going on in this portion of Scripture. One of the first things we probably need to know is that the first few chapters of the book of Daniel and this particular portion of the book of Jeremiah run hand in hand. You can think of it this way: the book of Daniel is a portion of scripture that is set in real time. I say that because what Jeremiah was writing about in chapter 29 of his book is what Daniel was keeping record of in the first few chapters of his book. As Daniel faced what the prophet Jeremiah wrote about, we see that he and his 3 friends learned right away what these verses were trying to get across. GOD wants us to seek HIM. HE wants us to do it with all our hearts. The thing is, most of us don’t learn how to do that the easy way. Daniel and his friends were an exception. So let’s take a look at what it takes for most of us to hit our knees. In the first verse that was chosen this morning, we see the prophet Jeremiah saying, “After 70 years are completed in Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word. What is being said is that the LORD WILL keep HIS promises. He does not want the Israelites to forget that. HE had made a promise to Abraham, and that promise would not be forgotten. No matter what it looks like GOD is working to keep HIS promises. What HE said HE will do is already done. The 70 years in Babylonian captivity were part of the preparation process for HIS chosen people to. Captivity is what it would take for HIS people to look to HIM, instead of the idols and false gods that had their attention. This was the reason they were facing 70 years in Babylon. They had taken their attention off of GOD and placed it on the gods of those whom they did not utterly destroy way back when Saul was king and Samuel told him to destroy everything man woman and animal alike. We all know that the bible tells us “GOD is a jealous GOD” HE wants our attention, because HE has a plan for us. That brings us to verse 11. The reason its placed here is very strategic on GOD’S behalf. It’s a message of hope in the midst of a lesson. What GOD is telling us through the prophet Jeremiah is, the captivity doesn’t mean its over. It was part of HIS plan to get HIS people to look to HIM, as we continue to read on in to verses 12 through 14, the picture starts to come together for of. You see, the LORD knew what it would take for HIS people to turn back to HIM. In the same way, HE made them strong in the land of Egypt through the slave driving taskmasters cracking whips on their backs, HE would use Babylon to regain their attention. You see GOD’S plan includes HIS chosen people seeking HIM with their whole heart, and at that point, they were not doing so. The captivity that they faced would bring them to a point where they would look up instead of out. You see as they looked out over the land of their neighbors the people whom they did not destroy after being told to by the prophet in the days of Saul. They saw them worshiping their gods and were misled. GOD brought them back to HIM by allowing them to see how those gods and the people who worshiped them would treat HIS people. Trying to erase everything HE had installed in them from the beginning when HE called Abraham out of the land he was in to a place HE had chosen. HE wanted Israel to seek HIM with every inch of who HE has made them to be, and when they did HE would reveal HIMSELF to them.
Application:
I find myself in the pages of the bible. Over and over again GOD has had to take drastic measures to get my attention. I don’t know about you, but I’m somewhat hard-headed. I would like to say that I’m a fast learner, but honestly, that would be a lie. I remember the day HE called me. I was a young man on my way to prison. I had heard about GOD and learned about Jesus, but I was living a life that was self-will run riot. Drugs and crime were my lifestyle. So HE sat me down in a cell and got my attention. But like I said, I’m pretty hard-headed. Not only did the first time not work, but several times after that, I would still only turn to HIM in my times of need. The thing is, GOD loves you and HE will stop at nothing to get your attention. HIS love is relentless. If you are anything like me, the only time you will make a change in your life is when it hurts too bad to stay where you are. It’s in those times that we learn to look up. Several years ago our country faced a major tragedy. Some terrorists hijacked some planes and flew them into buildings. The country was shocked. I’m not saying that this happened because of GOD, but I know that HE uses all things. After that day on September 11 so many years ago. Church attendance grew exponentially. After people started to regain their lives and the sting of that day started to fade. Church attendance returned to its regular numbers. You see we know where to turn when we are in trouble. GOD is the answer and we know that as a country. Here is my question. What would happen if we would learn to seek GOD with our whole heart? What I mean is, what if we would not just turn to GOD in times of trouble, but kept our minds steadfast on HIM. What if HE was the very center of our focus? If we sought HIM with all our hearts in good times and in bad. In sickness and in health. In times of need and times of plenty. If HE were the very center of our attention our object of worship. I’m thinking we would have a lot less tragedy and a lot more rejoicing. That brings me to one of my favorite scriptures. Matthew chapter 6 verse 33, “seek first the kingdom of GOD and HIS righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” All the things we seek rather than seeking GOD. If we will turn our attention to HIM and what HE wants from us. HE will provide everything we need. My goal this morning is to get our whole heart turned to HIM. Turning our focus away from the things that steal our attention, such as well there is no need for a list you know what it is. Set down the distractions and GIVE GOD your all.
Prayer:
Father, here we are. You have our full attention. Help us to see the path you have for us clearly. Show us how to keep our minds fixed on you without having to face tragedy or captivity. We want you be be the very center of our lives, have laser focus on you. Not looking to the left or to the right but looking to you for guidance in all that we do. We are sick of seeing our brothers and sisters in captivity. Your word tells us that if we believe… that you will set those captives free. Well, we believe and we are asking that you will do your part. Set them free. Its in the mighty name of Jesus we pray amen.