Day 2 - Consequences for bad behaving do not negate God's good intentions
Scripture focus: This is the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to what was left of the elders among the exiles, to the priests and prophets and all the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken to Babylon from Jerusalem, including King Jehoiachin, the queen mother, the government leaders, and all the skilled laborers and craftsmen. The letter was carried by Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah had sent to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The letter said: "This is the Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel's God, to all the exiles I've taken from Jerusalem to Babylon...." Jeremiah 29:1-4 (The Message)
At our weekly NorthStar Community gatherings, our community is trying to follow the instructions found in Eugene Peterson's (also responsible for The Message translation) book - Eat This Book - a beautifully written work on the whys and how-tos of spiritual reading. Peterson exhorts each of us to not only read God's word - but to chew on it, growl over it, gnaw on it like a dog wrestles with a bone.
As I wrestle over Jeremiah 29, it strikes me as amazing that God sent a letter to his people in Babylon. These folks weren't in Babylon on vacation. They were exiled to Babylon as a consequence for bad behaving. Although the Babylonians were a wealthy nation with a healthy army, they weren't exiled in Babylon because the Babylonians were experts at taking over smaller countries - even though they were, indeed, good at it. They were exiled to Babylon because God said so.
One time I painted our son Scott's bedroom with an awesome sports theme. It required several colors and coats of paint, a wallpaper border, cool accessories, and a ton of time. It was a masterpiece (if I do say so myself). And it stayed that way for about a week. Until he and his friends bounced jelly balls off the painted and papered surfaces, leaving sticky marks from floor to ceiling. When I discovered his chicanery, I sent him to his room. Scott was exiled. I did not write him a letter, send him up cookies and milk, or bring him a good book to read. He was banished; thrown in the brig.
Scott's exile was administered by a very distraught mommy. The Jewish people were exiled by a loving God whose intentions for his people are unwavering. I read Jeremiah 29 and I picture a God who loves his children enough to discipline them, but too much to abandon them in their misery. He doesn't leave them in Babylon for 70 years guessing about God's intentions. God tells them straight up. More on God's loving intentions - even in the midst of discipline - tomorrow.
I wonder what would change in our ordinary, daily walking experience if we deliberately, repetitively, consistently went through our days looking for God's good intentions for us - Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light...do you see them? What "chance" encounter, what "serendipitous" moment, what near miss, or small victory, kind word, or "random" act of kindness will cascade down from the Father on you today?
Recommended reading: Leviticus 5 - 8
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