This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord. This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
— Jeremiah 29:4-14

The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and people shouted before him, “Make way!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.” Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt. Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt.
— Genesis 41:37-46

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
— Luke 8:1-3

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
— 1 Peter 2:11-12

~~~~~

Song of the Sojourner: A Heavenly Exile
By Jennifer Kane

Hear now, O wanderer, the word of the Lord,
spoken to the scattered in faraway lands—
to the hearts that hunger for home unseen,
whose hope is anchored beyond the stars.

From Zion’s fall to Babylon’s gate,
the Lord of Hosts proclaimed His will:
“Build your dwellings, plant your fields,
seek the peace of the land where I send you.
For though you dwell in dust and distance,
My covenant breath still binds your soul.
Pray for the cities that house your tears,
for in their peace you too shall rest.”

Thus spoke the Everlasting One,
and exiles lifted weary heads.
They sang in foreign tongues their psalms,
and wove their faith through alien streets.

Yet the heart of man was made for more—
for a kingdom unbroken, unburned by time.
Sojourner! Stranger! Pilgrim soul!
You walk among the tents of men,
bearing the mark of the Morning King.

The world may beckon with gilded chains,
its feasts of shadow, its fleeting mirth—
but you, O chosen, are called apart,
to live as light among the blind.
Let not the lust of eyes or flesh
enslave your spirit, born anew;
for holy conduct guards your path,
and honor adorns the faithful’s way.

When the nations watch your humble deeds,
when foes revile your pilgrim name,
their tongues shall falter in the day of truth,
and glory rise to Heaven’s throne.

Endure, O exile of sacred heart—
for seventy years or seventy times more,
the Lord will gather the scattered seed,
and bring you home to promised ground.
His plans are peace, not calamity;
His future glows with steadfast hope.

Lift your eyes beyond the veil—
for though you wander through mortal lands,
your citizenship is written above,
in the city whose light knows no dusk.

Until that dawn, live, and labor well—
build, plant, pray, and love the lost.
For even in exile, the Lord is near,
and His presence is your home.

~~~~~

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:4-14, Genesis 41:37-46, Luke 8:1-3, 1 Peter 2:11-12

The image is stark: God’s people, ripped from their homeland, living as captives in the glittering, pagan city of Babylon. Their instinct was to hunker down, keep to themselves, and wait for a swift deliverance. But God, through Jeremiah, gives them a shocking command: Settle down.

This is the foundational principle for the Christian life. We are not called to a monastic withdrawal from the world, nor are we called to a full assimilation with it. We are to be engaged exiles. We are to build, plant, marry, and work—to be fully present and invested in the places God has placed us. Most strikingly, we are to seek the peace, welfare, and flourishing of our modern-day “Babylon.”

What does this look like for us today?

Praying for our leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-2), even those we disagree with.
Becoming informed and responsible citizens, voting with wisdom and conviction.
Excelling in our vocations, bringing integrity, excellence, and grace into our workplaces.
Serving our communities through local charities, schools, and organizations.
If called, working within government to be a voice for justice, righteousness, and the common good.

We do this not because our ultimate hope is in a political party or a national identity, but because we are ambassadors of a greater King, and the welfare of our temporary home matters to Him.

The Bible is filled with examples of what this exile life looks like in practice.
Joseph in Egypt (Genesis 41): Joseph was a forced exile, sold into slavery and then imprisoned. Yet, when God elevated him to the highest echelons of Egyptian power, he did not use his position for personal vengeance or retreat into a holy huddle. He managed a crisis, saved a nation (including the pagan Egyptians), and in doing so, preserved the line of the promised Messiah. He was a faithful exile who sought the peace of his foreign land, and God used it for His cosmic purposes.
The Women with Jesus (Luke 8): These women, like Joanna whose husband worked for the hostile King Herod, were living in the tension. They were part of a community that followed the true King, Jesus, while still being enmeshed in the structures of the world. They used their own resources—their wealth and their time—to support the proclamation of the Kingdom. They were seeking the ultimate welfare of the world by funding the ministry of the One who could truly save it.
Peter’s Charge (1 Peter 2:11): Peter makes our identity crystal clear: we are “foreigners and exiles.” This identity is the reason for our distinct ethical living. We are to “abstain from sinful desires” not to be seen as morally superior, but because the patterns of this world are a threat to our souls. Our holy living is a testimony to our true citizenship.

Jeremiah’s command to settle down is not the whole story. It is followed by a glorious promise: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

This famous verse was not given to individuals in their comfort, but to a community in their captivity. Their hope was not in a quick escape from Babylon, but in the faithfulness of God to ultimately restore them. Our hope is the same. We work for the good of the city, but we wait for the City of God (Revelation 21:2). We seek the welfare of the nation, but we long for the New Creation.

We can pour ourselves out in prayer, service, and civic engagement precisely because we know this is not the end of the story. Our labors are not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58), because our true King is returning to make all things new.

In what areas of my life am I tempted to “withdraw” from the world in fear or judgment? In what areas am I tempted to “assimilate” and live just like everyone else?
What would it look like for me to more intentionally “seek the peace and prosperity” of my literal city or town this week? (Consider a practical step like researching a local need, praying for a specific leader, or volunteering).
How does the truth that my citizenship is in heaven free me to engage with the problems of this world without despair or cynical anger?

~~~~~

Heavenly Father, we come before You as a people who are not truly at home. Our citizenship is in Your eternal kingdom, yet we find ourselves dwelling in a foreign land. As we open Your Word, quiet our hearts and instruct our minds. Teach us what it means to live faithfully as exiles, to seek the welfare of this world without being consumed by it, and to fix our hope entirely on our true home with Christ. Lord Jesus, You lived as the ultimate Exile, leaving the glories of heaven to dwell among us. You showed us how to be in the world but not of it. Grant us the wisdom to live as faithful exiles in our own day. Help us to build, to plant, to pray, and to seek the good of this land, all while holding loosely to its treasures and accolades. Keep our eyes fixed on You, our true hope and our eternal home. It is in Your mighty name we pray, Amen.

October 28 2025