Christ Church Daily Devotion April 20 2024

Jeremiah sends a letter to the exiles in Babylon, telling them to build houses and settle down. They would be there for seventy years, but God promises to bring them back to their land. Jeremiah warns against listening to false prophets. God's plan is to prosper and give them hope and a future. This message still applies to anyone who serves God faithfully. Our worship option is to offer a prayer of thanksgiving for this assurance. Welcome to Christ Church's Daily Devotion for April 20th, 2024. Today we will be reading from Jeremiah, chapter 29, verses 10 through 13. 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. 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 a hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Judah had been defeated. The armies of Babylon had overthrown Jerusalem and carried off many of the leaders and people to their land. Jeremiah was a primary prophet during that time. At this point, he sends a letter to those exiles to let them know what God wanted them to do. They were to build houses and settle down in that place. They were going to be there for seventy years. But at that point, God would bring them out of captivity and return them to their land. He also cautions them about listening to others who are prophesying something different. Jeremiah's message may not have been what they wanted to hear, but it was what God was sending them. They needed to think long term and know that God was promising them hope and a future. And God delivered on that promise. The message in verse 11 still resonates with anyone who seeks to worship and serve the same God. No matter the circumstances in which we find ourselves, if we will remain faithful in serving God's mission and follow our Lord's guidance, we can always have hope and a future. Ultimately, that future includes life with God and the world to come for eternity. There is no better hope and there is no better future. Praise God. Your personal worship option today is to offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the blessed assurance this hope and a future provides.