God Has Good Plans
God wanted his people to engage a city, nation and culture far from him. He led them through difficulty to get his people into the difficult situation.
God has good plans
God had the 70 years planned for Israel to be exiled. He planned a very hostile takeover to happen to his people. He exiled his people to a foreign land with ideologies, religion and way of life far from God. Those who were left in the land had no protection and no economy.
To get to the good plans, God first had difficulty for his people.
This is not the coffee cup or bumper sticker version of this verse! We often use this verse to show God will do good things to us!
A portion of God’s good plans for them is to do the exact opposite of what they’ve been taught…serve and benefit a city, nation and culture far from God.
Promises are only needed when you feel like life is going in the wrong direction.
If God only had “up and to the right” for you, you would not need him to promise you anything. There is nothing to hope in when you are swimming in success…except your success.
Hope = Certainty the future will be better than your past and present.
Hoping in God means you’re willing to walk through the “70 years” of difficulty to be walking towards his good plans.
When Jeremiah spoke this promise, they were in the middle of the bad and difficult, God will be there. God will still be working. In the middle of a culture far from him, despite what they’d been told all their life, God will be with them.
God still tells us this today. He is always Immanuel. No matter how difficult the circumstances, he is with you. He hears you. He will be found by you.
And you can walk into the most difficult of cultures and circumstances knowing God will be with you, despite what you’ve been told by those who think you cannot walk into difficult cultures and circumstances and still be with Jesus.
God tells you to…
Call out to him.
Pray to him.
Seek him with all your heart.
God tells you he will…
Hear you.
Be found by you.
Restore you.
Gather you.
Be willing to walk into a city, nation and culture who is far from God so that you can be the salt and light for the people God wants you to impact. You cannot do the alone. Call, pray and seek God so you can find him.
Remember, promises are not needed unless life is difficult.
Food for Thought…
What is the city, nation and culture which is far from God, but that God wants you to impact?
Are you in the middle of “70 years” of difficulty or in a city, nation and culture you know God wants you to be in, but it is tough? How do you call, pray and seek him with all of your heart? How can you be reminded God will be found by you?
What is hope? How does hope move you forward?
How can you lead your church to engage a city, nation and culture which is far from God, but difficult? How can you lead them to know a promise is only needed when life is difficult?