Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you – Jeremiah 29:12
The people of Israel continuously sinned against God. After multiple warnings, God allowed the Babylonians to capture them and be taken as exiles. God is conveying a message to the people in captivity that even though they are chastened for their sins, He would be gracious to them and will cause them to return to Jerusalem after 70 years.
Our God is a loving Father who disciplines His children when they go astray. In the chastening process, God’s purpose is that we may repent of our sins, confess and return to Him wholeheartedly. God’s plans and purposes are always good for us, even though the process of discipline may be painful. Once we return to Him and call upon Him, He promises to certainly listen to our prayers and answer them in accordance to His will!
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. – Acts 3:19