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. Jer. 29:11
Heavenly Father, there’s simply no other god as merciful, gracious, and engaged as you. Your forbearance is immeasurable; your kindness is inexhaustible; your plans are irrepressible.
When your people received these words of encouragement from Jeremiah, they were exiled in Babylon. How could they not feel bereft, bewildered, even betrayed? We too have our own hard, messy, confusing stories. Some, we have brought on ourselves. Others generated by difficult people, life in a broken world, or the schemes of the enemy.
It’s comforting to remember you are the quintessential promiser, planner, and provider. There’s no happenstance in heaven, or on earth; just providence. You don’t make up things as you go along. You have plans. “Stuff” doesn’t just happen; sovereignty is always happening. That doesn’t make it easy, but it sure keeps us sane.
Your good plans for us always have Jesus in view. For he is the “Yes” to every promise you have made. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are the guarantee of our Gospel-prosperity, living hope, and glorious future. Apart from Jesus there is only hype, spin, and emptiness.
Father, we trust you to bring the truth, grace, and power of this Gospel into our current messes, waiting, and longing. Turn our sighs into songs, our cynicism into servanthood, and our worries into worship. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ near and dear name.
