In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
Keeping Hope Alive
Things were different in Babylon, where the people encountered new challenges in a foreign land. In exile, they faced unfamiliar societal norms, exotic customs, and syncretic worship practices that challenged them unexpectedly. If they weren’t careful, they stood in danger of losing track of their identity as people of faith. Despite it all, the prophet Jeremiah told them to look toward the future with hope. God had plans for their shalom (peace) and not their calamity. In times of uncertainty, they needed to keep praying and searching for God in every circumstance. The prophet’s advice is applicable today. The currently fragmented body of Christ must find ways to connect in novel ways. If they continue to search for God wholeheartedly, they will see their God loves them and gives them hope to meet any challenge.