On the 4th Sunday I was here in Kentucky I went to church and then attended a Sunday School. It was a women's class and the teacher taught over Jeremiah 29. What perfect timing! I have known these verses forever, but she put everything in a new perspective. So... here is what we talked about...
The title of the lesson was: When Change Happens (convenient right?!) She began by giving us a little background to the chapter. God's people had been exiled to Babylon (she went into more detail than this, but this will be long enough as it is). Of course, when you're uprooted to a new area you aren't always happy... especially if you are forced as these people were. There had been many false prophets telling the people that their time there was short and not to worry because the Lord would release them soon. Jeremiah came in and told a different story... the lesson was split into 3 main ideas based on what Jeremiah was telling the people.
1. Re-establish normalcy in your life: In verses 5-7 Jeremiah tells the people to build houses, plant gardens, marry, have kids etc. He basically is telling them that while they are here they need to continue on with their lives. God didn't want the people waiting around thinking they could go back to their land anytime soon, He wanted them to move on. He didn't want them living in the past.
This is a great reminder for us when change occurs. Any type of change brings disruption to our lives, sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad. But we have to regain our sense of what is normal.
2. Reject unrealistic dreams: In verses 8-9 Jeremiah is telling them to not believe the false prophets. He's telling them to guard themselves from un-truths. The most interesting verse to me is verse 9. "Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have." I think about the number of times I try to rationalize why something should be and if I do that in the right way, I can have others around me telling me that I am right. I don't need people in my life to tell me I'm right all the time. I need people to tell me the truth- even though it may be hard to hear. These people were doing the same thing. They were convincing each other that going home was just around the corner and that their previous life was much better than this one. Jeremiah was the first to stand and say, "Look, this is where God put you, this is the present. Stop living in the past and figure out what it is that God wants from you now." Those are the kind of people we need in our lives.
3. Remember the Lord is in control: In verses 10-14 (we all know these)... it's a reminder to the people that no matter what happens God is in control. It's interesting that we focus on verse 11 so much and in the process miss what verse 10 says. Verse 10 says "...when seventy years are completed..." This stay in Babylon wasn't going to be short-term. These people were in it for the long haul- some would never see their land again. I caught myself during this part thinking that we have to remember that God is in control, but along with that we have to remember that God's timing is different than ours. Wow- that hit me hard....
I have so many future plans and places to be (Kentucky is not on my list either). But the truth is, I don't know that. I don't know how long God has us here. I don't know why we had to leave Texas at a time when I felt like I needed the people there the most. I do know a few things:
* Change has happened, whether I like it or not.
* I need to get involved and regain a sense of normalcy up here (which I am trying to do)
* I need people around me to encourage where I am right now (which luckily I have!), but I need to stop trying to convince myself that this change is short-term, bc it may not be.
* I need to know God is in control (which I do) and I need to wait for His timing (which is hard!)
Change is tough... whether it's a move, new job (and a baby!) like us, whether it's a loss of a family member or friend, whether it's a happy event like a wedding, whatever that change is...little or big.... we must always be looking for God's will in our lives and finding ways to create new normals.
Life is about new normals... that's what I learned from this message anyways....
No comments:
Post a Comment