“This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce. Find wives for yourselves, and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease. Pursue the well-being of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it thrives, you will thrive.” – Jeremiah 29:4-7

Since completing my Doctor of Ministry degree this past spring, I have had several people ask if I would be “moving on” from my current ministry. My answer each time has been the same; “Not until God clearly calls me to leave. Until then I plan on being wholeheartedly devoted to the ministry he has called me to here and now. But each time I say that I can’t help but smile, remembering I never wanted to live in this city. In fact, when I was young I planned on getting out of here as soon as possible…that was 26 years ago. What I didn’t know back then is that God was calling me to pastor a church here (I never planned on being a pastor either!). So, when I came to that realization, I decided to dig my heels in and be wholly committed to this wonderful family of believers. I have now been ministering at this church for over 20 years and I have no plans to leave anytime soon.

Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the best known and most quoted verses in Scripture. However, like we do with so many verses, we forget the context. If we look at the previous verses, God is not speaking to his people about going out on the next adventure. They are in exile, away from their home, and he is commanding them to dig in their heels and prosper where he has put them. We must be completely devoted to the place God has us until he clearly calls us to move. This truth doesn’t only apply to pastors. What place in life has God called you to that you are trying to escape? Is it a job? A neighborhood? A church? A city? Are you trying so hard to leave somewhere that you have forgotten God called you there for a reason? Be faithful and serve God wherever you are in life, until he clearly tells you it is time to move on.

God of all creation, forgive us for the times we are not satisfied with Your plan. Give us a heart to do Your work and live Your Truth wherever we are in life.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon