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Day 263 Jeremiah 29:1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the elders who were carried away captive??—to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This happened after Jeconiah the king, the queen-mother, the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) 3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying, 4 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. 6 Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace, you will have peace. Many times, you find yourself in places you didn’t expect. It might be a move to a new city, a new job, even members of a new family could bring unknown problems. What do you do? Joseph, when his brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt, prayed for God to bless the work of his hands, and God blessed Potiphar’s household. He prayed for the warden when he was put in prison, and the prison prospered. Now, Judah and Jerusalem are in Babylon and God told the people to pray for Babylon and the city where they found themselves. God told them when they did, He would bless them and the city. When your employer, members of your family, the city you find yourself in don’t measure up to your expectations, pray. People, who call themselves Christians complain the loudest when things don’t go the way they expect. Instead of complaining, pray for your employer, the city you live in, your family members, and any other situation where you find yourself. Let God work in the hearts of the people. You do what God commanded. Be the best employee, the best husband/wife/son/daughter you can be. When you do, people will recognize you as a child of God and you might find things changing because God is working in your situation. Do you want change? Be the change. Pray. Let’s pray: Father, help me be the change in the circumstances surrounding me. Help me do the best I can in everything I do, knowing when I do, I am working for You, not myself. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 4 March 2022 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay.