The first verse in this passage is common. I have seen this verse used in Christian fiction books. Sadly, many people make the common mistake of reading one verse and stopping. They don't read the surrounding verses. This can often lead us to taking verses out of context or miss out on the blessings from other surrounding verses. We can sometimes fall into the trap of using verses to try to prove our personal belief rather than reading the Scripture as God intended. God's Word is so rich with promises that we should daily get in His word to be blessed.
Jeremiah 29:11-14 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
Verse 11 is often used to comfort when we go through struggles and trials. What often happens is we stop after the first verse. God has a purpose in all that happens in our lives. He brings struggles and trials because he does knows the future.
The next verses to me mean even more than verse 11.
Then shall ye call upon me - our trials and struggles should draw us to God we should want to cling to him even more. Call on Him for help. The book of Psalms is full of verses written by David during his struggles. He is calling on God for help. That should be our response.
Ps. 4:1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
Ps. 86:7In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
the end of vs 12 he promises to hearken unto us. Webster 1828's definition for hearken - to attend to what is uttered, with eagerness or curiosity. Have you ever seen a child eager for something? They get so excited and are very attentive. That is how our Lord is to us. When we feel far from Him it is us not Him.
Vs 13 ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
He longs for a relationship with us. He wants us to seek him. He promises we will find him.
When is the last time you went seeking him with all your heart? We don't have to wait for the time of trouble and struggle to seek him.
The Lord tells us who won't seek Him.
Psalm 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
We all have the tendency to pride. Pride pulls us from God. We may start searching out other books written by man rather than getting back in the Bible and seeking God.
Psalm 22:26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
Psalm 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
We should desire to follow God with our whole heart.
Psalm 119:2 & 10 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
Our desire as a Christian should be to follow after God. Sadly, when sin finds its way in our lives we wander from that desire.
We must be in His Word to know how to follow him.
Once again, these are just my ramblings. I stray from the right path way more than I want to admit. I am really liking the Daily Scripture writing because it is causing me to slow down and meditate on His word not just skim through.
May God bless you today.
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