God never gives up; neither did Jeremiah. Before the final conquest of Jerusalem, he wrote a
letter to the Hebrews who had already been taken to Babylon. There was no false comfort—they
should settle down and prepare for a long period of exile. But there was a future—not just in
Jerusalem, but in God’s love, if only they would seek God with all their hearts.

• Through Jeremiah, God told the Israelites he had “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” But the message began, “When seventy years are completed.” Could anything that lay seventy years ahead be a source of hope for you? What makes patience and trust essential as you walk with God?
• In a sense, Jeremiah’s message of judgment and hope was summed up in Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” How do you understand the meaning of seeking God “with all your heart”? What in your life has driven you to seek God with all your heart, and what steps helped you do that?