Seek Peace Where You Are Captive

The story behind the story

When there is conflict, slavery, or captivity, few want to seek peace with the dictators or masters. For starters, we don’t even want to be there, and we certainly don’t want to help their mission.

Jeremiah wrote a letter to the priests, prophets, and all the people who were in Babylon as prisoners under Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. The letter came as a missle from God through Jeremiah. In the letter, God told them “He (God) caused them to be carried away captive.” Therefore, these prisoners were exactly where God wanted them to be. ‘Not what they wanted to hear, I’m sure.

I’m also certain it was not where  wanted to be. ‘Pretty sure they were crying out to God to deliver them from their oppressors. This part of the letter is found in the early part of Jeremiah 29 and is the prelude for the verses “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord . . . .”

Act like you belong here

God tells them to act like they are staying there, act like they belong there, because they do – since He caused them to be carried away as captives.  He expected them to get busy building houses, marrying off their sons and daughters. He expected them to plant gardens and eat the produce from the gardens. Expect to stay here, He tells them. When you build houses and live in them, you’re not here for a short time. You’re here for the long haul. When you find spouses for your children, it means you watch your children grow up and then help them find spouses and become grandparents. This takes years and God expects them to stay involved, even though they are where they would rather not be.

Seek the peace of your city

God also tells them to seek the peace of the city in which they live. Don’t sabotage, He says. Build things and people up. Be involved. God says, if you seek the peace of your city, you will also find peace.

Pray for your city, and seek peace. “For,” He continues, “by doing this, you will have peace.”

We all want peace. In a world and a time when there is so much division, it’s time to do what Jeremiah told the captives to do: seek the peace of your city so you can have peace. Pray for your city, God says.

That’s what we need to do. No matter our church or political alignment, we should seek peace. It does not mean we must agree. Nor does it mean we can always worship together. It means, simply, that we will be people who seek peace. It means we pray for those who taunt us or cause friction. We pray for those we think are misaligned. 

It means we recognize that God has placed us where we are for this time and for this place. It means we pray for the people in our lives and for the “city” in which we live. We pray blessing on those who make our lives miserable. When we rub shoulders with those who disagree with us, we pray blessing on them. We seek peace.

We do this because we are His children, and because – as our Heavenly Father – He asks us to seek the peace of our city. As we do so,we experience His blessing.

Photo credits: Gregor Ritter (city) and Pexel (dove) via pixabay.com