{"id":10769,"date":"2025-10-08T08:40:18","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T13:40:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/?p=10769"},"modified":"2025-10-07T22:26:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T03:26:16","slug":"october-12-2025-thriving-in-exile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/october-12-2025-thriving-in-exile\/","title":{"rendered":"October 12, 2025 – Thriving in Exile"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prepare (This section is preparation for the leader, not content meant for the group.)<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

In this passage, we find the Israelites deep in the Babylonian Exile. The Assyrians had conquered the northern kingdom of Israel. The southern kingdom, Judah, held out a little longer. However, the Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, came along and conquered the Assyrian territory and the remaining Israelite lands. This was a huge blow to the Israelites. The temple was destroyed, the walls of Jerusalem lay in ruins, and the people were forced to leave the promised land.<\/p>\n

As the years dragged on in exile, the generation that remembered Jerusalem was getting older. The people had been waiting for deliverance a long time. They were hoping for a leader like Moses to come and lead them back to the promised land. They were waiting for God to punish the Babylonian king like Pharaoh with the 10 plagues. But it still hadn\u2019t happened. Those who remembered Jerusalem were fading. The community was wondering if God was still with them, or even strong enough to save them.<\/p>\n

These words from Jeremiah were reassurance that God was watching over them right where they were, even in exile. God wanted them to thrive right where they were – building homes, starting families, growing gardens. This did not mean they should stop longing for or expecting liberation, which would one day come. But thriving in exile was itself an act of resistance and faith; preparation for the liberation for which they longed.<\/p>\n

Opening Exercise<\/h4>\n

Think of a time when you were impatient for something to happen. Has it happened? How long did it take?<\/p>\n

Text Read Aloud<\/h4>\n

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7<\/a><\/p>\n

Thriving in Exile<\/h4>\n

The people of Israel were tired of living in Babylon. They had been forced to leave the promised land behind when King Nebuchadnezzar swept through with his army. Babylon was a wealthy kingdom, but the Israelites lived on the margins: powerless, poor, and heavily taxed. They wanted to go home.<\/p>\n

Jeremiah was a prophet, a messenger sent to take God\u2019s words to God\u2019s people. When they received his letter, they probably hoped for news like Moses once gave their enslaved ancestors in Egypt\u2014news like, \u201cLiberation is at hand! Keep your shoes on, don\u2019t bother baking raised bread, be ready to go!\u201d<\/p>\n

But what does Jeremiah tell them? Build houses\u2014and make them homes. Plant seeds and watch them grow. Create families and new generations. Even pray for the city where they live!<\/p>\n

This message of putting roots down in Babylon probably felt jarring, like a betrayal of the God who brought them to the promised land, or a concession to the oppressor who had taken it away.\u00a0Yet God isn\u2019t telling them to give in or become Babylonians. God wants them to thrive as Israelites, investing in their community so that when liberation comes, they will be ready to take their place as God\u2019s beloved people.<\/p>\n

Thriving in exile is an act of faith, and that same faith shows up today in communities still fighting to belong. Here in the U.S., October 11th is National Coming Out Day. In Atlanta, where I live, this is also Pride weekend. There will be parades, festivals, and marches celebrating the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community. As an ally, I feel lucky that the parade passes right by our church\u2019s front doors. We get to support our queer members and neighbors as they celebrate who they are.<\/p>\n

However, this year feels different. Local organizations remain enthusiastic, but we expect fewer floats with corporate sponsors amid increasing political pressure. While some leaders stay supportive, others are pushing for laws that would harm our queer neighbors, especially those in the trans community. Even as the trans community grows in strength and visibility, so too does the backlash.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know what it feels like to come out, but after listening to the stories of queer friends, authors, and speakers, I know it takes courage, even in a supportive environment. And it\u2019s only the beginning of learning how to embody your truest self in public. Finding safety, community, and family can be a lifelong journey.<\/p>\n

Hopefully this backlash will be short-lived, and our society will continue toward full rights for all people. Still, this kind of \u2018exile\u2019 can feel endless to our neighbors experiencing oppression, much like the Israelites in Babylon. The good news, as Jeremiah reminds us, is that God\u2019s faithfulness doesn\u2019t dependent on the whims of empire. God has not forgotten God\u2019s promises, and the future is in God\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n

This doesn\u2019t mean we stop longing or working for liberation. Thriving itself is an act of resistance. Even when the promise of a world where all people are equally valued, supported, and celebrated feels far away, build community wherever you can. Create a home and fill it with family, biological or chosen. Invest in your education or training in the field of your dreams. Plant seeds and watch them grow. Live into God\u2019s vision for your life, regardless of what the society says you deserve.<\/p>\n

And, if you\u2019re an ally like me, keep learning about the issues your queer family members, friends, and neighbors face. Ask them how you can help make God\u2019s promises real, so that together we\u2019re ready to take our places as God\u2019s beloved people.<\/p>\n

Reflection Questions<\/h4>\n