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Buy a Field

December 3, 2014

" Buy A Field " 

 Greetings,

A long time ago the Prince of Peace was sent to Earth.  Sometimes when I stop and look around I wonder how many of us forgot.  It is hard to not be alarmed at the unrest and the selfishness that surrounds us.  We look far and wide for things to hold on to and give us joy, hope and peace.


Over the years, I have noticed that many people cling to Jeremiah 29:11 as their verse.  It is on wall hangings, bookmarks and is highly memorized and quoted when we need to remind ourselves of something to give us hope and purpose.  Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'for I know the plans I have for you, ' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'

What a great thing to hear from God for encouragement and hope!  But what the wall hangings and bookmarks often forget to mention is why and when God spoke this promise.  Israel had forgotten about God.  They were living for themselves and not for Him.  Because of their sin, Jerusalem was under siege from the Babylonians.  People couldn't leave the city.  There was complete unrest and chaos.  There was no food.  Mother's were eating their children! It was horrific.  The army was breaking down the walls of the city as this promise was spoken.

 

This promise was spoken to the prophet Jeremiah who spent his whole life telling the people over and over and over again that this was going to happen if they didn't repent and turn back to God.  They never did and so here they were on the verge of complete destruction and being either killed or carried off into exile, and God ask Jeremiah to do one last thing.  He asked him to buy a field.

Are you kidding me?  A field?  He spent his whole life telling these people to get right with God and they didn't listen to him and now everything is falling apart before his eyes and he is afraid for his life and God ask Him to buy a field.  Jeremiah called God out on this one!  God's response was "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind.  Is anything too hard for me?"  Well I guess that settled that argument. I guess we should include Jeremiah 29:12-14 with verse 11.  They say, 

"'Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, 'and will bring you back from captivity.  I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,' declares the Lord, 'and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.'"


This Christmas let us try and remember that the Messiah, the savior of the world, Immanuel came and is with us.  No matter how out of control life and circumstances around us might seem we must remember that it is not about this life.  Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18,


 
"Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Even though it seemed doom was eminent and that things would never be the same, God says to buy a field because I will restore you again.  Let us continue to press on with the greater HOPE that we have in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.   Revelation 21:1-5,

 "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."  He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"

 Share the Hope.  Plant seeds of Joy.  Have a Merry CHRISTmas!

Blessings,

Chris



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