In Jeremiah 24:5 God says that He will take the tribe of Judah and lead them captive into the land of the Chaldeans. Captivity does not seem like a good thing. When in captivity you are not in what would “comfortably be called home”, your movements are restricted, your freedoms are being limited, your choices and options are fewer. Perhaps in your life you could identify with the people within the tribe of Judah. Your movements might be limited, you might have less options before you, or your resources are limited. You might feel like you are made captive by your situations, relationships, finances, physical restraints or emotional and educational limitations.
It is interesting that God says that He will not only take Judah away captive, but also that it will be for their own good. “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans (Jeremiah 24:5 NKJV)”. God in His nature of being love, (1 John 4:16 – “God is love”) takes what looks like evil and in love makes it into good for us. This place and experience which seemed so wrong, was actually something good. A form of protection provided by God. Of course, when we are looking from our short sighted view, instead of God’s all seeing perspective, we only see the immediate situation of discomfort. God sees the long-range outlook of good.
Lord Jesus, help us to see through Your eyes. When we don’t clearly see what your purposes are, then help us to trust in Your loving and good nature, knowing that Your thoughts towards us are good.
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