Posted in CHCH Challenge
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This is the devotional title for week 4 of the Clean Heart Clean Home Challenge. To download the FREE printable organizer that contains the devotion and a plan to spring clean your home, go here.
I was reading the Bible passage, Jer 29:13-14, chosen for this week's devotional and just couldn't help but read more. I wanted to know WHY God was saying this to the Israelites. Jeremiah 29:1-14 1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon; 2 (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;) 3 By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying, 4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; 5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; 6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. 8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. 9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD. 10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
The passage from Jeremiah speaks to the Jews freshly taken into captivity. God is chastening Israel for their disobedience, and in the midst of His chastening, He is saying, "Make yourselves comfortable here. Find peace away from your home in the midst of this chastening. Then seek me. I will hear you and return you home" (paraphrased by me). In verse 11, God speaks of having thoughts of peace towards Israel in the midst of their chastening. And as always, in verse 13, God brings it back to the issue of the heart.
He desires our hearts to search for Him. He wants us to want Him. He desires peace for us even when we are being corrected. If we are diligently searching for the Lord in this Spring Cleaning Challenge, God will be faithful to clean out our hearts. This often involves chastening since we humans don't have a good track record for listening or obeying. In the midst of our chastening, of being corrected by God, let us all find peace and accept that God is using this time for His glory and for our good. And He will return us home! |
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