A Peaceful City
Today’s Verse:
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. ~Jeremiah 29:7
One of our sweet church members became increasingly unsettled and restless about staying in the home that she had lived in for many years. The city she lived in saw a concerning increase in crime, crowds, and traffic congestion. The neighbors behind her played loud music throughout the night on weekends, resulting in her getting little sleep. She told me she found a place to move to, many hundreds of miles away, and there she would have peace and rest. This morning, we see good counsel from our Lord about how to find peace when things around us are deteriorating.
We see the settlement.
Many Jews had been taken captive by the king of Babylon and forced to resettle in Babylon. This was a forced settlement. The Jews were in a strange land as a minority group and under a different structure of government and worship. God was the One Who caused them to be carried away as captives. You might be someone wondering: “Why am I living in the city that I’m in? It’s far away from family and friends. The city has laws and practices that I do not agree with.” Yet, God put you there, and He commands us to faithfully settle down in peace with the neighbors He has given us.
We see the civility.
“Seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives.” First, we are to seek peace with the city. Never let it be said that you are a troublemaker or a squeaky wheel. Second, seek peace in the city. Things might come up that are against our biblical values. We must be willing to stand up for the truth and, at the same time, be peaceful with the city. Third, we must seek peace for the city. Let it be said that you are a peacemaker. Be kind, civil, gracious, and a good testimony for the Lord.
We see the supplication.
God said to pray for the city we live in. We should pray for souls to be saved in our city. We should pray that civic leaders will get saved and adopt a biblical mindset. We should pray that crime will be at a minimum and that bad guys will be caught by the police. We should pray for the civic leaders in our city. We should pray that unbiblical laws will be overturned and that laws that are biblical will be voted in. We should pray that the gospel will permeate our city. The idea is very clear: we must pray for our cities, its leaders, and the influence we can have in reaching more souls for Christ.
We see the serenity.
“For in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.” God told the Jews that the way to peace is to pray for it and to live peaceably with all men. When we allow the circumstances around us to affect our spirit, we need God to change us before He will change the circumstances. Solomon said, “When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” The secret to peace where we live is to seek the peace of the city. Be peaceable. Promote a peaceable spirit. Pray for the city you live in. Pray for God to permeate it with His gospel. Don’t let the noise and change in circumstances discourage you. Take God at His Word and seek the peace that He promises to give.
Have a peaceable God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Genesis 41-42