By Ron Lindo Jr., New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
Of the many blessings contained within the Old Testament, the blessing of Jer 29:11–14 is one of modern importance for the American church.
For I know the plans that I have planned for you, declares the Lord, peaceful plans and not contentious ones; to give to you a future and hope. And you will pray to me and I will hear you. And you will seek me and you will find me. For you must search for me with all your heart, then I will appear to you…
The importance of this blessing within the modern American church is witnessed by the plethora of Christian paraphernalia, which references Jer 29:11–14 as its inspiration. Two questions, then, stem from meditating on Jer 29:11–14 and the American church’s desire to obtain it: (1) How can one receive the blessing presented in these words, and (2) what does a life devoted to these words look like? The answers to these questions seem to place the modern American church in a somewhat awkward position.
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This paper was a finalist in the Intersect Project Ph.D. Student Challenge Symposium. The symposium facilitated broader discussion in the church and academy about the intersection of faith, work and economics.
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