Exiles

Exiles in Babylon. 

God’s Word to them felt deeply personal to us. During a particularly violent and unsettling season.

People were leaving our city. Families sent back to their home countries. Anti-American sentiment had ramped up more than ever. 

Should we leave? 

At one point my dad—who never, ever tried to interfere or direct us in any way—wrote “In my daily Bible study I keep seeing the words, ‘Flee Babylon…flee Babylon.” (Jeremiah 49:30; 50:8,16; 51:6)

Exiles

We were reading Jeremiah, too. And one day came to Jeremiah 29. 

“This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles…” (Jeremiah 29:4).

The next verses stood out to us. Sounded like directives we needed to pay attention to. 

We felt seen and known by our Father.

Build

“Build houses and live in them…” (Jeremiah 29:5). 

Make this place your home. Put up pictures on the walls. 

Offer hospitality. Invite people to your table. 

Provide for the sojourner passing through.

Plant

“Plant gardens and eat their produce” (Jeremiah 29:5).

One day Todd came home from the market with some potted plants. 

He dug holes in the front yard and planted them. 

A symbolic action. A visual reminder of God’s direction to plant ourselves in the desert city.

Grow

“Grow in numbers there and do not decrease” (Jeremiah 29:6).

The exiles were to marry off their sons and daughters so that they might give birth to more sons and daughters. 

We knew we were to continue sharing the Good News and making disciples. So that the church might grow in that land.

Pray

“Seek the prosperity of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord in its behalf” (Jeremiah 29:7).

Why? Because when it thrives, you will thrive.

Prayer was a big part of our strategy. We regularly sent prayer letters focusing on our city and her peoples. 

We prayed for the governing authorities, the various factions in the political scene, the economic situation, the rich and poor.  

We remembered God’s Word to Jonah about the city of Nineveh. 

“Should I not also have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 people…?” (Jonah 4:11) God had compassion for our city of 12 million, too.

Home in exile

One year a peace march was organized in Karachi. 

Todd wrote a leaflet based on 1 Corinthians 13. About God’s love and where true peace is found. A national partner helped him translate it properly. 

Ten thousand of these leaflets were distributed along the way in the march toward the city center.

By then, prayer had changed our hearts toward our home “in exile.” 

God placed us there for a season. To build and plant and grow.

And pray.

Each stop

We weren’t there 70 years, like the exiles in Babylon. But 8. 

One year, we left for our stateside assignment after the most peaceful and fruitful year of our career. We had every intention of returning to a now-loved city and the dear people who made it so.

But the God who helped us stay and thrive, was directing our path into a new place of service.

The grief we felt in this unexpected change solidified the importance of Jeremiah 29:4-7.

And we carried these directives with us to each stop along the journey.

Ever learning the necessary art of living temporarily with permanence. Not permanently temporary. 

Living with purpose

As followers of Christ, we are exiles. Scattered across the earth. But living with purpose as we look toward the Day of His return. 

Teach us to build houses where we are and live with purpose.

Teach us to plant ourselves and grow for the glory of our King.

Teach us to grow the Church as we abide in Christ and make disciples.

Teach us to pray for the well-being of each city and town, state and country.

Teach us Your way, O Lord. (Psalm 86:11)

What about you?

How has God taught you to stay rooted where you are and live with purpose in this temporary world? 

Related posts

Tents and altars – Desert city – Living in exile – Temporary nest – Strong roots and movable tents – He is enough – Untracked land – Temporary place – Following – Sent ones – Remembrance – Maps – Follow Me – 

Psalm 86:11 – Jeremiah 29:4-7 – Jeremiah 49:30 – Jeremiah 50:8,16 – Jeremiah 51:6 – Jonah 4:11 – 1 Corinthians 13 –