God Has a Plan “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.” ~Jeremiah 29:11 Here is hope straight from God. As followers of Jesus Christ we do not proceed through each day without hope. We know that God is in control and has our best in mind. When the storms arise, we need not fear because God is beside us bringing peace to our souls.
Let’s look at the context of the above verse. This is a verse that so many know and turn to in times of unknown. The Israelites were sent into exile by the hands of their enemy the Babylonians. It felt as though all things were lost. They were leaving the Promised Land and entering into something new, something unknown. They did not know what to expect and simply wanted things to go back to normal, back to what felt safe. Hear what God says to the Israelites just a handful of verses before verse 11: “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” Jeremiah 29:4-7 God was reassuring the Israelites that while they may “feel abandoned” by God they were not alone. God has a great plan and does not forget His children. He encouraged them to live their lives where they were dwelling, to make a life there, build friendships, care for their new city as if it was their hometown. They were entering into a new normal in their history. They did not know all the logistics or the full scope of God’s entire plan. What they did know was that God was still with them. God was still in control. God had a plan already in place taking care of them. We sit here today together wondering what the next steps will be, when things will return to normal. But we hear the same words the Israelites heard from the Prophet Jeremiah. We are entering our own new normal. We may not know all the logistics or the full scope of God’s entire plan, but we DO know that God has a plan. God is still in control. God is taking care of us. So do not lose hope, disciples of Jesus Christ. Cling to God’s words in Jeremiah 29. Live your life right where you are, as God planted you there. Continue to grow friendships with neighbors and friends. Care for your community as a missionary cares for the place God leads them to serve. We walk by faith together as united disciples of Jesus Christ, being lights in the darkness, showing there is always hope in Jesus Christ. Taking the next step as led by the Holy Spirit, we go forward into the future full of hope, hand in hand with one another and with Jesus Christ ~Pastor Vicki Epper
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As we begin to navigate a more distanced society and find new ways to connect virtually, it is our hope as a staff that one way we can bless our community is through a Discover Church blog filled with encouragement and ways to reflect on His goodness and faithfulness as we all walk this path into the unknown. Categories
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