Links for today’s readings:
Sep 4 Read: Jeremiah 29 Listen: (5:44) Read: 1 Corinthians 6 Listen: (3:03)
Links for this weekend’s readings:
Sep 5 Read: Jeremiah 30-31 Listen: (11:21) Read: 1 Corinthians 7 Listen: (6:09)
Sep 6 Read: Jeremiah 32 Listen: (7:34) Read: 1 Corinthians 8 Listen: (1:54)
Sep 7 (Labor Day) Read: Jeremiah 33 Listen: (4:46) Read: 1 Corinthians 9 Listen: (4:04)
Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 29.4-14
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. 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.”
1 Peter 1.1a, 17; 5.13a
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces…
17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.
13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings…
Reflection: Balm for Exile Souls
By John Tillman
An encouraging letter is balm for the soul.
We don’t get “letters” much anymore. We are more likely to get a text or an instant message over social media. Even our devotional ministry (which we pray is a daily encouragement) comes by somewhat “old-fashioned” e-mail.
Jeremiah wrote a letter to a group of Jerusalem exiles taken to Babylon. They were hungry for encouragement.
The messages of Jerusalem’s false prophets (in this case, Ahab and Zedekiah Jer 29.21-23) didn’t help them. They claimed God would soon bring the exiles home. Jeremiah burst these false hopes of a quick fix and planted deeper and better hopes for the future.
Jeremiah’s letter was a harsher truth but a more hopeful message. Instead of waiting for rescue, they should get busy with redemptive work. Even in Babylon, there was good to be found and cultivated and good to be created and begun. Jeremiah told the exiles to settle down and get productive while praying for the good of their new city. Even in captivity, they were called to contribute to their community.
How is this letter relevant to us? In the same way it was relevant to Peter and the churches he wrote to.
In 1 Peter, the apostle didn’t quote Jeremiah’s letter directly, but adapted Jeremiah’s message. In the first sentence, he called his readers “exiles,” even though many still lived in the cities and cultures they were born in. In the last paragraph, he described the church as “in Babylon,” even though Babylon fell centuries before, and none of his readers lived in that geographical area. Throughout, he echoed Jeremiah’s advice to retain identity and hope, yet do good work for and in “Babylon.” (1 Peter 1.17; 2.11-17; 3.13-17; 4.12-17)
When we step over the line of faith to follow Jesus, we become citizens of a kingdom that is opposed to whatever kingdom we live in. We become exiles and pilgrims in our own country and culture.
Like Jeremiah’s and Peter’s exiles, scripture’s letters are balm for our exile souls. Ultimate hope means knowing that one day we will be rescued from Babylon-like kingdoms when Christ’s kingdom comes in fullness. Meanwhile, we must not idly await rescue but do the work of redemption. There is good to do now while we wait for the good only Christ can do. There is renewal to bring now while we wait for the ultimate renewal Jesus brings.
Encourage one another with these words. (1 Thess 4.18)
Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
I will call upon God, and the LORD will deliver me. In the evening, in the morning, and at noonday, I will complain and lament, and he will hear my voice. He will bring me safely back… God, who is enthroned of old, will hear me. — Psalm 55:17
– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.
Readers’ Choice is Coming!
Readers’ Choice is when we ask you to share your favorite Park Forum posts from this year.
What posts helped you forgive?
https://forms.gle/Kj12Ziy4C9gQg8Xm7
Read more: Embodied
Our bodies are not meat robots for our souls. We are integrated beings.
