“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord . “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11
I’m reading through Jeremiah in my personal study time and God is stirring some thoughts in me. I read this verse in context this morning and I was struck by this thought.
God spoke these words through Jeremiah to a people who were already in Babylonian exile because of their repeated disobedience.
Every time I hear this verse used, it is one of those “feel good” verses. What’s interesting is that God gives Jeremiah this message to counter the feel good message that some false prophets are giving the people. They are promising a short exile…but God says ‘No, you are in exile because you disobeyed. Go ahead and build houses and plan to stay a long time. I told you this was coming, BUT don’t give up hope. You’ll be here 70 years. You won’t even be alive when I fulfill this promise, but I will fulfill it in your children – not because you are good, but because I am good’ (my words).
There are consequences for our actions. Some are major and others are less overt. But there are always consequences. Remember that the Lord is using you and me for the exclusive purpose of bringing Him glory. He always has a plan for a future and a hope, to bring good not disaster…but first there may be a season of preparing, or perhaps even discipline.
But we can be thankful that his faithfulness is based on God’s character and not our own.
