What do you do when you are living in God's ellipsis of silence?

“What do you do when you are living in God's ellipsis of silence?”
by Pastor John Morgan
November 29, 2020

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

• Jeremiah 29:4-11 (ESV)

Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has plans for us that will not harm us. The context of this scripture is that the people of Israel were in a state of great vulnerability. They were in Babylonian captivity, yet the Lord tells them to build houses, plant gardens, and give their sons and daughters in marriage. This does not sound like a short-lived exile; their captivity was going to continue for 70 years in exile, waiting on their deliverance. The Israelites need to focus on the season that they're in so that they can thrive and prepare for the next season. 

We can't always control what is happening around us, but we can always control what is happening inside us. The scripture teaches us that the fruit of the spirit is self-control, not circumstance-control. We need to get the attitude of Psalm 118 says, “this is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” The Lord makes the day, but what we make out of the day is what makes us. When we allow other people or circumstances to make or break our day, we are outsourcing our peace, joy, and confidence. We can't always control what happens in the day but we can control how we respond to it. 

James 1:4 says to consider it pure joy when we encounter trials. When we praise God even when it’s raining we develop endurance that prepares us for the future. Endurance and perseverance will help us navigate uncertainty. 

Jeremiah 29:11 is a word from God to the church today. 2020 may have taken us by surprise, but we know it didn't take God by surprise. We don't know when this season will end, but we do know that God has plans for us. We've all walked through 2020 together, but we haven't all experienced it the same way. We need to ask God what he is saying to us individually through this scripture. In the midst of what may feel like captivity, we can learn from Jeremiah 29 what to do when it feels like God is silent. 

1. Build houses. This is not a season for us to pull away from connection. Just because it's a season of waiting doesn't mean that we shouldn’t build. 

2. Grow. God wants us to plant seeds and grow. This is not a season to operate in seeds of the flesh, but rather in fruits of the spirit. We should be demonstrating the fruits of the spirits in our actions and conversations. 

3. Multiply. Build families. In this season, we have to get more connected than we've ever been before. Just because we are socially distant doesn't mean we can't keep our lives connected. Make phone calls, reach out to people, and stay connected.

4. Move forward. We are called to increase and move forward in our faith in all seasons. Let us be growing in our confidence in the things of God.

5. Give. We can support the church financially or with our time, our energy, and our love. Let us be investors in the things of God. 

6. Pray for the city. There's never been a time where it has been more important to pray for our city. Pray for the mayor, the government, the first responders, the policemen, our pastors, and our neighbors. 

This is not a time to detach from the church; it is a time to move forward in our faith. Jesus can't be with us in the fire unless we're in the fire--and 2020 has been a fire, but it is also a year the Lord has made. We must get joy back into our spirit and faith back into our hearts. Our circumstances will not control us. We must not give up or lose hope. God has plans for our good, not for evil. Decide to build houses, grow, multiply, and move forward in this season.

Reflection/Discussion Questions:

1. How is God calling you to build in this season? 

2. What area of your life do you believe God wants to grow or multiply in this season? How can you partner with God in the growth process?

3. How can you stay more connected (or reconnect) to your community/church family this week?

4. How do you feel led to give to the church in this season (time, talent or treasure)?

5. Reflect on how God wants you to pray for the city, and then spend some time in prayer.