Built and Planted

In Jeremiah 42:10, the Lord says that He will build His people up and plant them if they just obey. That sounds simple enough and should give us reason to hope in His blessing, but think about what it means to be built up and planted. When a house is built, the wood has to be measured and cut. Then the wood is joined together with hammer and nails. Cutting, hammering, and nailing all sound pretty painful, but it is necessary for the house to be bulit. And what about planting? You can't just put a seed on top of the soil or else the birds will devour it. You must break the ground, clear the stones away, and bury the seed. That takes work and the fruit of that effort may not be readily visible for some time. If you're following the Lord with all your heart and you find yourself going through some pain or being broken, rejoice! For the Lord is building you up and planting you so that you may flourish in His courts! Let the wood be cut, let the stones be cleared away.