Political Prayers - Jeremiah 27-31

In this section of Jeremiah the prophet is called upon to deliver some of the hardest messages of any messenger of God. He is asked to deliver a message that may sound like "surrender and giving in" to the enemy. The nation is being taken captive and dismantled month by month by the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. Neb, for short, has a full reign over the earth. God even calls him His servant (27:5,6). Jeremiah's message is so contrary to the people false prophets stand up to him to prevent him from persuading the people to follow his foolish talk (chapter 28). In chapter 29 we read that the people in captivity aren't supposed to try to escape, or even pray for freedom. They are to make themselves at home and multiple. Like when Jacob (Israel) took his sons to Egypt to live under the watchful eye of his son Joseph, Israel (the nation) was to go into captivity and make homes and have children. God would watch over them and after 70 years bring them back to their own country (29:10). They not only were supposed to make themselves comfortable in captivity they were to do something eles while under Neb's watchful eye: They were supposed to pray for Neb's welfare and Neb's nation to prosper. There is one thing to submit to your enemy, but it is even more demanding to pray for your enemy to prosper. But, in 29:7 they were told to pray for the welfare of their captors because the welfare of the captors would benefit their own welfare. They were to pray for the leaders that God had placed them under because God would use those same leaders to bless them. I often wonder if the far right in our country, often made up of men and women of faith, should quit praying for the destruction of the far left and start praying that they would prosper? Have you ever prayed for the left to prosper in this country? Have you prayed for those in political office that you didn't vote for would prosper and be successful. For you own prosperous welfare you would need the leaders to be prosperous. It is funny how we wish the very people who can make our earthly life more comfortable harm. Of course we aren't supposed to be comfortable here, correct? Now you know how difficult Jeremiah's message was to both be delivered and to hear. We are commanded to pray for the prosperity of our leaders (Romans 13). We are to ask God to lead them and provide for us through them. We may not be in captivity (?) but we are to pray for the welfare of our state - our welfare is tied up in their welfare.