DAY 19 - Investing in Our Community

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 29:1-14

Even though the city we live in is not our eternal home, God still has a plan for it. Not only does he have a plan for it, but we are a key part of the plan. Our families, their growth and roots in the city, seem to be the catalyst for the “peace and prosperity” mentioned in today’s Scripture reading.

Through Jeremiah, God told his people to seek the peace and prosperity of the city that he had placed them in. Even though they were far from home and their neighbors were quite different from them, God wanted them to invest in their neighborhood and be an active part of their community. That message is still important for us today.

As our idea of community broadens and grows, God will bring people to us from all areas of life. They will have different backgrounds, faith journeys, family structures, and experiences, but they will be drawn to us because of who God is in our lives. God invites us to invest in the people and the places where we find ourselves. God loves people! God loves your community and is the reason that it grows to include all types of people. 

The community that God envisions for his people is not a stagnant one but a growing one. Get to know your neighbors, wherever you are and whoever they are. Seek peace and prosperity. Invest in them. They are your community. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you where He’s “carried you into exile:” the local coffee shops, the businesses, the neighborhoods. Where might he be leading you to seek the peace and prosperity for those places? Is it your consistent presence? Your financial support? Your prayers? Whatever it is, look for ways to come alongside our community, and usher in the Kingdom of Heaven!

Pray for the welfare of others, even those who may not share the same faith or values. Adopt a broader perspective, recognizing that God's blessings are intended to flow through His people to the wider world. As believers, we should not write off the city, but instead seek God's blessing in it, pray for it, and invest in it.

Father, grow our community and cause us to be accepting of all the people you bring into our lives. Help us to be bearers of peace and prosperity in the communities where you have placed us. Amen.