Sunday, March 23, 2025  

Today's Scripture
Jeremiah 29:1–14

These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. This was after King Jeconiah, and the queen mother, the court officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the artisans, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem. The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah sent to Babylon to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. It said: Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 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.

For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let the prophets and the diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, says the Lord. For thus says the Lord: Only when Babylon’s seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (NRSV)

Reflection

“For surely I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”

This is, perhaps, one of Jeremiah’s most famous verses. Reprinted on coffee mugs and greeting cards, it reassures us that God is actively at work, even in the most difficult times, helping us move toward a more hopeful future.

The verses that precede it, however, are a challenge. Thankfully most of us will not experience the pain of exile — although our hearts break for immigrants, migrants, and others who do. The experiences and emotions people share with me, however, often sound like they are from those in a kind of exile. Some are bewildered by the pace and extent of recent changes in our country — the world around them is unrecognizable, even though they stay put. Others are frustrated by cultural change, as anticipated norms disappear and relationships dissolve. And still others feel exiled from their bodies — chronic conditions, pain, and sometimes serious health conditions place them in unfamiliar and unwelcome territory. What are we to do when we feel cast out from places that once offered safety and security?

Well, Jeremiah tells us, we can pray for the well-being of the world around us. And we can choose how to best flourish in this current time and place, investing in relationships and institutions, advocating for the well-being of those who are unable to choose. To be clear: this doesn’t mean that we should simply accept all changes with a shrug, chalking them up to God’s will. I do think, however, that when we believe that our welfare cannot be carved out from the welfare of others, we might become less angry and more able to hope, seeing a path toward a world in which no one is exiled and all are able to live into God’s hopeful plans for them.

Prayer
Holy God, I pray that all your children will flourish and that, together, we might experience the hope you have for a better world. Amen.

Written by Amy Pagliarella, Parish Associate for Caring Ministries

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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