In Jeremiah 21, King Zedekiah sends a delegation to Jeremiah in hopes that God will relent and save the city of Jerusalem. After all, God is such a good God. It is Zedekiah’s desire to rest on God’s record instead of his own. God’s response is not what Zedekiah was hoping for. In verse 10, God says “for I have set my face against this city for harm and not for good.”
Funny, I have never heard anyone claim Jeremiah 21:10 as their life verse.
Now, lots of folks claim Jeremiah 29:11 for their life verse. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
I am not sure we are supposed to choose either one. Since the verses are spoken to unique people in a specific settings it is somewhat dangerous to make one of these a blanket claim for our lives. However, if we are to apply one of these verses to our lives, it must be acknowledged that we don’t get to pick the one we want like, placing an order from a great celestial menu. This is God’s message to Zedekiah in chapter 21.
So what is the difference between a Jeremiah 21:10 life and a Jeremiah 29:11 life? My youth minister said the difference is “location, location, location!” You don’t want to live in the city that God has set His face against. Location is the most telling aspect of these two verses. In 21:10 the people are people inside their beloved city. Yet the hard word comes to them. And the blessing comes to those in exile far from home. Nobody would have guessed that combination.
So where would you rather live? In the midst of the “promised land” or inside the blessings of God? Yes, it is all about location, location, location.
Funny, I have never heard anyone claim Jeremiah 21:10 as their life verse.
Now, lots of folks claim Jeremiah 29:11 for their life verse. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
I am not sure we are supposed to choose either one. Since the verses are spoken to unique people in a specific settings it is somewhat dangerous to make one of these a blanket claim for our lives. However, if we are to apply one of these verses to our lives, it must be acknowledged that we don’t get to pick the one we want like, placing an order from a great celestial menu. This is God’s message to Zedekiah in chapter 21.
So what is the difference between a Jeremiah 21:10 life and a Jeremiah 29:11 life? My youth minister said the difference is “location, location, location!” You don’t want to live in the city that God has set His face against. Location is the most telling aspect of these two verses. In 21:10 the people are people inside their beloved city. Yet the hard word comes to them. And the blessing comes to those in exile far from home. Nobody would have guessed that combination.
So where would you rather live? In the midst of the “promised land” or inside the blessings of God? Yes, it is all about location, location, location.
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