The book of Jeremiah, Chapter 29: 9, was a command from God to His people, the children of Israel, as they were being taken into exile from the Promised Land to a foreign land. The Babylonians took them captive and God told His people through Jeremiah that when they get to the city where He had sent them, they were to pray for the peace and prosperity of the city because therein laid their prosperity.” Many people are living in states and countries that are not theirs, but God says: “Pray to the Lord on behalf of the city, where I have placed you, for in it is your welfare; you will find your welfare.” It is good to seek the progress of the city, the country, where we find ourselves living.
God is calling us to be faithful intercessors, praying for the good of the cities we live in. Intercessory prayer is prayer for the needs of others. Praying for others is an unselfish expression of love. Why does God want us to pray for others? It is because intercessory prayer reflects God’s own character of outgoing love and mercy. Praying for others helps us to think beyond ourselves and to grow in compassion for others. You are to pray for the government in authority where you are domiciled; pray for the peace, security and prosperity of the economy of the place you are staying because its welfare will determine your welfare. Seek the common good of the place where you work and labour with all diligence for the success of that workplace will impact on your welfare.
God called His people to work diligently in the land He has sent them to: “build houses…plant gardens and eat what they produce.” The Jews were meant to flourish there as the people of God, even though it was a place of punishment and repentance for them. Moreover, the Jews’ success in Babylon was tied to Babylon’s success. This call to civic responsibility by Prophet Jeremiah is valid today. We are called to work toward the prosperity of the entire community, not merely for our own limited interests. We are called and equipped to be a blessing to the communities in which we live and work. God called His people to use their various job skills to serve the surrounding community. God told them to pursue the well-being and peace of the city. God knew that as captives, the Israelites cannot prosper unless their captors do.
God is very mindful of our attitude towards the assignment given to us in our workplace and everywhere we find ourselves. Put in hard work in your work place to justify the pay.
Diligently seek to discover new and better ways of doing the work assigned to you. Give your best in that very place God has sent you to be because your own prosperity is contingent on the prosperity of where God has sent you. Some people are not mindful of their work and so, handle their duties with laxity, not minding if it is growing or not. Luke 16:12 says: “If you have not been faithful in another man’s business, who will give you what is your own? Your blessing is dependent on how you treat the job given to you to do.”
• Today’s nugget: Seek the welfare of the city. Prayer: Lord help me to be faithful in another man’s business. Prayer lines: 08033299824. E-mail: amadiabelukachi@gmail.com. Rev. (Dr.) Abel Ukachi Amadi, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria.
