A new take on Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord..."

We've all heard this verse before. Most of us have probably written it in a card, texted it to someone or rattled it off when someone is doubting or nervous about an unexpected circumstance happening in their life. 

The first time I heard this verse was in the 8th grade. My mentor at the time, Julie Staley, would constantly recite it to her daughter and me in the backseat of her Volvo when we complained about normal junior high girl problems. It's a wonderful verse and a great reminder of God's hand guiding our way. In class on Monday, I was blown away by how huge this verse is when read in its context.

AJ gave us a bit of a history lesson that has my head still spinning, but here's a quick background:

Babylon came into Jerusalem and completely and utterly annihilated it. Not only that, but they took people, exiles, back to Babylon. So, Jeremiah chapter 29 is Jeremiah's letter to the exiles while they're in Babylon. I'd encourage you to read the whole chapter, but here's a bit of it:

vs.7 "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..." 

In verse 1-6, Jeremiah is quoting instructions from the Lord to find houses, get married and build a garden in Babylon. So, they've just been totally attacked and had their entire lives destroyed, now they've pretty much been kidnapped and he basically tells them, get comfortable. It's going to be a while.


Seek the welfare of Babylon. The city that raped your children, murdered your family, burned your homes and defiled your temples. Then took you back to live with them.

This is an entirely new take on 'turning the other cheek'. AJ used this passage as a compass for our hearts. How do we feel about the city we're in? How do we feel about Portland?

I feel incredibly convicted when I recount situations God put me in that I Jonah-ed...

(Jonahed: verb. To run away or leave from a situation God puts you in because you're selfish/lazy/prideful. I made it up and would like it to be a real word, feel free to pass it along.)

Jobs that I thought were hard and not very rewarding, relationships with people who were annoying or hard to love, a city that I found disgraceful. We were reminded in class that ministry can't happen when we're pointing fingers, comparing wounds or keeping a record of wrongs.

If God can use Jerusalem in Babylon, he can use us wherever he has us. We just need to have willing hearts that trust him when he says he knows what he's doing. Nothing is out of his hands, even outrageously devastating things.

Knowing a bit of the context, doesn't verse 11 seem like a huge breath of fresh air?

Just a thought.