God’s plans are always best (Jeremiah 29:10-13)
10 This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 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.
We all have plans for our lives. Each of us would like to accomplish certain things in this life time. Some of are able to see our plans and dreams come to
fruition. Others of us are still waiting to see the plans, hopes and dreams unfold in our lives. There is a message for all of us today. Whether we have
experienced success in seeing the plans and hopes we have for our lives unfold or if we are still waiting to see those plans, hopes and dreams become a
reality. In biblical times God used prophets to send messages to God’s people. The messages varied depending upon who the people were and the
circumstances surrounding the prophets visit with the people.
In our passage today, God speaks through the prophet Jeremiah giving a word of hope to God’s people. The people are not in what could be perceived as
the ideal situation at the moment. They have their concerns. They have their desires. They may even be in distress. What will God do for them? God assures
them that when the time has elapse for them to deal with their period of immobility, they will be able to experience a new lifestyle. On the surface, this may
not appear to be good news. It may appear to be a deferred announcement for a people seeking aid immediately. This could be the issue but even when God
chooses not to respond to our prayers immediately, we can be assured that God will provide what is essentials for us.
We must always keep in mind that God’s vision for humanity is far superior to humanity’s vision for humanity. What hopes do you have for yourself? What
is it that you would like to accomplish or become in this life? Some may have a general idea while others may not have a clue as to what they are supposed to
be doing in life. The question of purpose for our life is brought to the fore here. A good cook has the finished product in mind when he or she begins
preparing a meal. An artist in putting together a drawing or picture or other craft at least from a conceptual standpoint has a good idea about how a piece of
artwork will look when it is completed. An architect in preparing a set of drawings for a new project is capable of knowing how the end product will look. Now,
if humanity is able to function in the way it functions to create a finished product, surely God can.
What kinds of plans do you think God has for you and your loved one? What is God’s hope for your life? The answer lies in verse 11 of Jeremiah 29. Within
that verse, God states that God’s plans for God’s creation does center around prosperity, protection, and a hopeful future. This is good news. Even if you are
not experiencing these things today, God assures God’s people that these things will take place eventually. Now, what about those who never seem to
encounter what is listed in this passage? Perhaps you know someone who failed to experience prosperity in this life time. Instead of experiencing prosperity,
they struggled most of their life. From the individual’s vantage point, he or she had a hard time relating to God because of the negative experiences they
encountered. If you feel this way or are aware of someone who feels this way, please know that all is not lost. God is encouraging the people whom this
writing was addressed to pray diligently. That is to pray earnestly and with persistence.
In this initial month of this new year, if you feel like something is still missing in your life, try to follow the word from the prophet Jeremiah. Pray to God in
earnest about your situation. Be explicit. Lay it all on the line with your God. God wants to see you accomplish positive things in life. As we go back to the
passage of scripture, we must be reminded that things may not necessarily happen when we desire them to happen. And, they may not happen the way we
want them to happen. Still, God plans for our lives are always better than the plans we have for our lives. As the prophet spoke to the people, I also reiterate
to each of us. We must be patient until God allows things to come to fruition for our lives. While we wait in expectation, we can still pray on a consistent basis
that God will reveal to us what God’s plans are for our lives.
If we truly want to be in God’s will and experience the best that God has for us, we must be in constant prayer. Pray with the attitude that God will
respond to your prayers in a positive manner in God’s own time. Continue to strive for the best and include God in every phase of your life. God does have a
plan for each of our lives and God’s plan is always best. Our job is to seek God’s face and be led by the spirit as we are directed to follow God’s plans for our
lives. This is why Proverbs 3:5 is so important for us to acknowledge on a daily basis. Proverbs 3:5-6 states, 5 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean
not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Truly, God’s plans are always the best.
