Day 31 | Community Engagement

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” Jeremiah 29:4–7

In Jeremiah 29, the people of Israel were exiled. They were living in a land that was not their own under the oppression of a government and nation that did not share the same values and worldview. You would think that the smart move would be to lay low, to hide, to withdraw from culture and society into a holy huddle.

But the wisdom of man is foolishness to God.

What does God tell his exiled people to do? Build houses. Plant gardens. Get married. Multiply—have children, raise them up, and give them away in marriage to have more children. Don’t withdraw from society, but seek the welfare of the city where the Lord had placed them. Don’t be passive, but actively pray.

Fast-forward a few thousand years, and the people of God are still living as exiles. This world is not our home. This culture doesn’t share our same values and worldviews. And yet, this is no time to shrink back, play it safe, and lay low until Jesus returns or brings us home.

May we be a church that engages this city where the Lord has placed us. Let us seek the good of our community in every way that we are able to do so.

Prayer prompt: Pray for our church to seek the good of our community.