Restored in God

Toward a New Creation
Life on God's Terms

Not without Hope

Jeremiah 29:10-14  The Message

^10-11 This is God’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
¹² “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen.
^13-14 “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me.
“Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree.
“I’ll turn things around for you. I’ll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you”—God’s Decree—“bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.

For Reflection

What is the Kingdom of God?  Here, in America, we have rejected a King in favor of a representative democracy.  So, perhaps the idea of a kingdom does not bring up the best image of  human governance, or for that matter, spiritual nirvana. 

Perhaps being a member of a loving household is a better image.  In Christ's time, one's household included all blood family as well as servants, slaves and, even if only temporary, guests.  All were included.  All were loved.  All were treated with kindness. All were treated justly. All were treated with compassion.   All were forgiven of their transgressions. All were welcome to the table.

This is the image I contemplate.  When I think of the Kingdom I think of living in the household of God, life in the hollow of God's hand.

Pray

for confidence in God's promise.  Pray often, so that you may hear, so that you may see, so that you might touch as God hears, sees and touches you.