My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.
Jeremiah 24:6 NIV
God Will Build You Up
Kelowna BC is the fastest-growing Census Metropolitan Area in Canada, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada. The Census shows that Kelowna’s population grew to 222,162 in 2021. That’s an increase of 14 per cent from 2016. Within the Central Okanagan, the District of Lake Country has seen the highest percentage growth, according to Statistics Canada. Listed among 25 municipalities with the highest rate of population growth, Lake Country had 22.4 per cent growth since 2016, raising its population to 15,817.
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When Jeremiah was called by God to be a prophet, this Israelite was sent to the southern kingdom of Judah during a tumultuous time. God would lead the people into captivity by the Babylonians and Jeremiah was called to give a harsh message – so much so that he has come to be known as the weeping prophet. But in the midst of God’s judgment on Judah, there was always grace and always the promise of deliverance. The prophet wrote in Jeremiah 24:6: “My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.” Through all that the people of Judah suffered through in Babylon – things like the fiery furnace and the lions’ den – God said He was watching over His people for their good. And he gave them the promise of freedom from all they were suffering. God makes the same promise to you, no matter what you are going through. He isn’t missing a thing, and deliverance is coming.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley