Jeremiah wrote this in a letter to the Israelites who were exiled in Babylon after Nebuchadnezzar s conquest of Judah. The exiles were in a foreign land, facing despair, uncertainty and were longing for their homeland. This message reassured them that God had not abandoned them and He had a plan for  their welfare, even in the suffering. It says that God listens to sincere prayers; full commitment, not half-hearted. Jeremiah could be using the Olympics as an example.  They started in Greece 100 years earlier in 724 BC.