Build houses!
Live in them.
Plant gardens, and enjoy the produce.
Get married.
Have sons and daughters.
Guide your grown children in marriage,
so they may have sons and daughters too.
Plant yourselves, and be productive.
But seek the welfare of the city
where God has sent you.
Pray to the LORD on its behalf
for in its well-being you will find
all goes well with you.
Do not let anyone tell you differently!
Do not let anyone deceive you or entrap you
with false dreams
for God has given you this word:
When your exile has ended,
I, the LORD will visit you
and bring you home as promised.
I, only I, know My plans for your welfare
and not your harm.
I, only I, will give you a future with real hope.
Then you will call on Me. Then you will
come to Me and pray to Me, and I
will hear you.
When you seek Me, you will find Me
if you look for Me
from your heart.
© 2013, Mary Harwell Sayler, prayer-a-phrase of today's Bible reading from Jeremiah 29:5-13
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