Derek Smith, Lead Pastor
Jeremiah 29:11-14
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet, and for good reason. The Lord gave him a hard prophecy for the people of Israel during a tumultuous time in their history. Idolatry and immorality was running a muck and judgment was on it’s way because of their disobedience. Babylon was coming to conquer them and take them into exile. Yet, right in the middle of this hard prophecy the Lord spoke some of the sweetest words in all the Scripture to Jeremiah and the people. Though they would go through a horrible time of judgment, in time the Lord would restore the fortunes of Israel and give them eternal hope.
This prophecy is directly related to the coming Messiah and eternal Kingdom of God. Because of Christ coming to earth and dying for our sins no matter how hard life gets, and no matter the depth of our depravity, when we turn from sin to Christ we receive hope. We are forgiven and can know we will be in His coming Kingdom.
This prophecy can also be applied to our daily lives as Children of God. No matter how dark it gets, there is always hope. Better days are ahead in Christ and they will be beyond your wildest dreams. Let those words resonate in your heart today….future, hope, welfare. He says that when we call He will hear us. He says that when we seek Him He will be found. Even when we sin all is not lost. There will be immediate consequences, but if we repent of them and turn to Jesus there is still abundant hope for the future.
Nobody desires your blessedness more than God Himself. There is no one that wants you to live for God more than He does. He is your greatest cheerleader, and not for His own gain but simply out of pure love and affection toward you. How awesome is that?! I encourage you, don’t doubt the goodness of God. When we sin He chastises us, but in the end that’s for our benefit. Everything this side of hell is grace, and since God is the greatest good there is making us seek Him is the greatest blessing He could ever give us.
Oh, this life we have in Christ is amazing! This love with which He loves us is unfathomable! Oh, the depth of the riches of His goodness and mercy! This relationship we have with Jesus is beyond our wildest dreams.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I have sin in my heart. I feel so far away from You at times. But I know You are good, and I know that when I turn to You I find hope, peace, and forgiveness. Thank You for loving me Lord in spite of my failures. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.