Signs of Life

Thanks for joining us for today's encouragement from the Our Daily Bread devotional. Our reading, titled Signs of Life, was written by Jennifer Benson-Schult. When my daughter received a pair of pet crabs as a gift, she filled a glass tank with sand so the creatures could climb and dig.

She supplied water, protein, and vegetable scraps for their dining pleasure. They seemed happy, so it was shocking when they disappeared one day. We searched everywhere. Finally, we learned that they were likely under the sand and would be there for about two months as they shed their exoskeletons. Two months passed, and then another month elapsed, and I had begun to worry that they died.

The longer we waited, the more impatient I became. Then finally, we saw signs of life, and the crabs emerged from the sand. I wonder if Israel doubted that God's prophecy for them would be fulfilled when they lived as exiles in Babylon. Did they feel despair?

Did they worry they'd be there forever? Through Jeremiah, God had said, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to Jerusalem. Sure enough, seventy years later, God caused the Persian king Cyrus to allow the Jews to return and rebuild their temple in Jerusalem. In seasons of waiting, when it seems like nothing is happening, God hasn't forgotten us. As the Holy Spirit helps us to develop patience, we can know that He's the hope giver, the promise keeper, and the one who controls the future.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Jeremiah chapter 29, verses 4 through 14. 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 70 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 I will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile. Let's pray. God, help us to have faith in you as we wait.

We believe you're involved in our life and you care about our situation. Help us to trust you to lead us through and meet our every need. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Alisha Reisinger, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.