Friday, August 8, 2014

God has a plan for you. Jeremiah 29:11-13

Jeremiah 29:11-13New International Version (NIV)

11 For 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. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.


This is one of the great promises offered to God's people in the Old Testament and it came at a very difficult time.  The people of Judah were exiled to Babylon as prisoners to live in a foreign land.  These were tough times and Jeremiah the Prophet wasn't promising any good news anytime soon.  While some false prophets were promising that God would soon return the captives to Jerusalem, Jeremiah was relaying God's words to settle down for the long haul; seventy years to be exact. Surely the people were in despair... Yet Jeremiah offers these words of hope.  Words that told them that God still had a plan for them. God had not abandon them.  

 
Perhaps you find yourself in one of those places today.  You've had a major disappointment and you wonder where is God?  You hurt, you're disappointed, you're confused, you feel lost.  If you're in that place today, these are good words for you.  God has a plan and it's a plan for good and not for evil. A plan to prosper you and not harm you.  

God is still with you.  So don't despair. Cry out to the Lord.  Seek him with your whole heart and you will find him.  And for the Christian finding Christ is the greatest joy.  

In the end, this life is bound to kick us and bring us down.   Sometimes it kicks us because we did something we shouldn't have done.  This was why Judah found themselves in this predicament.  But, even in the difficulties we can find forgiveness, joy and peace.  The greatest joy comes from God's presence with us as we seek the Lord with our whole heart. 

The people of Judah surely wished things could return as they were, and in comming generations they would know that blessing, but in the midst of their captivity in Babylon they could still experience the presence of God.

Prayer:  Dear God I wish that things could be different for us today but we trust you know you know what is best.  Forgive us of our sins. Today, we cry out to you and we trust that you have a future plan.  And Lord, while we wait for that plan to take shape, help us to find joy in the midst of sadness because you are with us.

A thought for today:  Even if you have lost someone or something very dear in your life, seek the Lord with your whole heart.  God may not heal that hurt but God will give you a new hope.  Remember God loves you and God will never leave you.

God Bless You!


No comments: