“And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace” (Jeremiah 29:7).
TEXT — Jeremiah 29:1-9
Message
In both the Old and New Testaments, believers are commanded to pray for the rulers of cities and leaders of the nations of their birth or where they reside and do business. It is not the duty of Christians to join the open condemnation or opposition to any wicked ruler. Believers are to pray that God would put His fear in the hearts of the rulers. This is important because sometimes, condemnation and cutting criticisms may in fact, make things worse, as the rulers become impervious to any contrary view. At other times, it might be that the Lord is using the wicked ruler as a rod of chastisement on the people for their sins.
The Lord allowed the Jewish nation to be taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, because of their perennial sins. Prophet Jeremiah, knowing that the exile would be for seventy years, wrote a letter to the captives to comfort and encourage them to settle down there, build families and not forget to pray for the peace of Babylon and its inhabitants since in the peace thereof they would experience peace. He urged them not to listen to the false prophets and dreamers giving them contrary and deceptive prophecies.
God’s word is a divine letter to comfort men and prepare them for heaven. Believers should live peacefully and lovingly in the community where they reside. They should pray relentlessly for the land and its leaders, whether or not they are cruel, tyrannical, or despotic.
Believers must pray earnestly for their perceived enemies as well. We should not join in rebellion, riots or evil speaking against those in positions of authority. No matter how the world tries to justify civil disobedience, we must not engage in it.
Thought for the day
People who seek peace for their communities, reap it in abundance.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
