Day 27. One-word. Favorite.
Favorite is probably my favorite word. When discussing a particular Bible verse, I’m prone to say, “Oh, this is one of my favorites!”
My dear man chuckles and says, “You have a lot of favorites!”
And it’s true. I have a lot of favorites.
It’s not true that I’m overusing the word favorite. I’m simply over-enjoying the blessings of my life!
So as we live in days that are often described as evil, dark and possibly the last are we still able to enjoy favorites? I imagine you’re nodding a “yes” because indeed we all have our favorites.
Today I’m reminded of God’s good plan for His people even as they lived in their hardest days – exile.
“This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.”
Jeremiah 29:1 NIV
Do you know what they were supposed to do in exile?
Yes, indeed! They were supposed to produce favorites. Get married and have a one and only favorite spouse. Have children and call each of them your favorite. Marry your favorite children off to your favorite friend’s children. And then wait for it…
Enjoy all those favorite grandchildren who will bless your life with more joy and abundance than you can imagine- even while living in the darkest of days.
And then if we dare take God at His word (and we really should believe Him), bless and care for and get to know the people who live on either side of us. Ask God to bring peace upon your neighborhood & to bless your neighbors. I can give to others out of the blessings God has provided me. The next thing you know… these are our favorite people!
Did you know that it’s really difficult to be grumpy with people for whom you’re praying?
“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.””
Jeremiah 29:4-7 NIV
Would you {today} start a list of your favorite people? And include some of your favorite things about living in 2023?
Maybe we all need to listen to the soundtrack from The Sound of Music and remember that favorites surround us even in difficult times.
Eyes on Jesus and Shine!
~Lisa Brittain
Eyes on Jesus and Shine 