Jeremiah 24:7 (NASBStr)
I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.
We tend to think of a healthy walk with God as one that is at peace and peaceful in circumstances. We would not think that turmoil or hardship is the place of walking with God and knowing God. However, in the above verse we see that Jeremiah is speaking for God and telling those who were lead into captivity in Babylon that it was there, in captivity, that God would speak to their heart and enable their heart to know Him. God is the initiator of anyone knowing Him and anyone having communion with Him. AND, that communion is not dependent on circumstances, location, day, or situation. Even in captivity they would be able to know God. This might be the tragedy within the tragedy of the story of Job. Job was being bragged about by God. All was good with him. But, God ALLOWED Satan to touch him. It was within that pain and suffering that Job began to justify himself that since he was righteous (God did brag to Satan that Job WAS righteous) he didn't deserve the suffering. Job failed to remember that no matter what the circumstances and no matter how righteous the life, if we were to get what we deserve we would all suffer even greater than Job. Yet, in that "captivity" Job missed out on the opportunity to "know God." Jeremiah is telling the captives to NOT use this captivity as an excuse to shrug off God. This IS the time to grow your faith. The example of such a captive is Daniel. He didn't allow the captivity to be an excuse to walk with the world and away from God. This was a time to serve God and KNOW Him. Captivity is the time to KNOW God - don't wait for the good times to know Him. Learn to know Him in every situation.
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