Devotional

Blessing the Place Where We Are

A short midweek reflection to carry into your week.

September 16, 2026 Pastor Scott Uselman 4 min read

Part of the message: Some Forgotten Ways of God

A reflection on how God's call to seek our community's good becomes the very path of blessing, for us and for others.

Scripture

¹This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. ²(This was after King Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) ³He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:

⁴This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. ⁶Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. ⁷Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” ⁸Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. ⁹They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the LORD.

¹⁰This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. ¹¹For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹²Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

¹⁵You may say, “The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,” ¹⁶but this is what the LORD says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who did not go with you into exile— ¹⁷yes, this is what the LORD Almighty says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague against them and I will make them like figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten. ¹⁸I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse and an object of horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. ¹⁹For they have not listened to my words,” declares the LORD, “words that I sent to them again and again by my servants the prophets. And you exiles have not listened either,” declares the LORD.

²⁰Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon. ²¹This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies to you in my name: “I will deliver them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes. ²²Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘May the LORD treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned in the fire.’ ²³For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and in my name they have uttered lies—which I did not authorize. I know it and am a witness to it,” declares the LORD.

Blessing the Place Where You Are

There is a reason Jeremiah's letter to the exiles sounds so practical: "Build houses. Plant gardens. Pray for the city." You might find yourself, like them, living somewhere, or in some season, you never wanted. But the Word comes not for some other, better time. It comes here and now, pointed: you are asked to seek the good of this place, this people, these neighbors, even when they feel far from home.

Scott Uselman reminded us that blessing comes to God's people as they bless their community. Not before, not by isolating, but through stepping in, serving, and refusing to treat life as cheap or belonging only to us. It's not about becoming invisible, nor about replacing every sorrow with quick answers. It is an invitation to put deep roots down, to open our hands, to forgive, and to pray for the prosperity of this city, knowing that as the city flourishes, so will we.

When you look around this week, what would it take to actually pray: "Bless these neighbors. Let their children do well. Let the peace and justice of God come into our block"? It may seem risky or strange, but here is the mystery: God works blessing through those who serve in real places.

Meditation focus

Blessing comes to us when we choose to bless the community where God has placed us, even if it is not where we would have chosen.

A Practical Step

Think of one way you could tangibly seek the good of your community this week, maybe by volunteering, having a conversation with a neighbor, or praying for the needs you see around you. Do it not because it pays off immediately, but because God has tied our flourishing to the flourishing of those around us.

Prayer

Holy God, we recognize your wisdom and lift your name above all. You are at work in ways we forget: shaping communities, healing what is broken, and teaching us through unlikely seasons. We release our plans into your hands, choosing to trust in the places you have set us down. Provide what we need, not just for ourselves but for those around us who are hurting, hungry, or lonely. Forgive us for every time we have withheld good from our neighbors or drawn our circle too small. Guide our hearts away from indifference, from bitterness, from fear. Deliver us from narrow ways of thinking and living, and make us a people who pour out blessing, even in places we would not have chosen. Through your love, let our community see something of your kingdom here and now. Amen.

All Devotionals

Hilltop Wesleyan Church

735 Golden Creek Rd, Liberty, SC 29657

Directions

Find Us

Contact Us

Hilltop Wesleyan Church believes in providing support and education to foster an ongoing relationship with Christ beyond salvation. Each day is an opportunity for us to grow closer to Him.

735 Golden Creek Rd, Liberty, S.C. 29657
(864) 777-8472
connect@hilltopwesleyan.org

Get in Touch

We saved you a seat. Plan your first visit.

Let us know you’re coming and we’ll help you know exactly what to expect on your first Sunday at Hilltop.

Plan A Visit