Lots of voices are competing for the attention of God's people. Jeremiah works hard at sharing God's word like he's supposed to, but people hear what they want to hear.
We are reminded that through Jeremiah's messages, God offered His people a chance to come back to Him and find a better way of living, a better life.
God does that for us each and every day too. Through Jesus, God gives us the never ending chance to be with Him and find new life.
God offers us advice today for those times in our lives when we find ourselves struggling and stuck or held captive by our less than ideal circumstances (similar to God's people who are exiled to Babylon for 70 years).
Here's what God says when His people are praying and looking for a way out:
In other words, even though things aren't the way we want them to be, don't stop living because we're waiting for things to change. God will bless us as we faithfully make the best of our circumstances.
And in God's time (it was 70 years for the people in Babylon), He will fulfill His good promises for our lives. God says,
These words are some of my favorite from God. When I can't stand what is happening to me or someone else, when my patience is running thin and my understanding short, when things are taking so much longer than I want them to take, these words remind me to look to God and trust Him always. They fill us with hope.
God's voice is always the one I need to hear. His way of doing things is always the way I want to follow for my life.
A prayer for today-
Grace and peace of Christ,
*This post is part of A Mind-Maker-Upper's Everyday Reading Project. Click here to read more.
Here's what God says when His people are praying and looking for a way out:
Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek peace and prosperity...Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.
In other words, even though things aren't the way we want them to be, don't stop living because we're waiting for things to change. God will bless us as we faithfully make the best of our circumstances.
And in God's time (it was 70 years for the people in Babylon), He will fulfill His good promises for our lives. God says,
"I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
These words are some of my favorite from God. When I can't stand what is happening to me or someone else, when my patience is running thin and my understanding short, when things are taking so much longer than I want them to take, these words remind me to look to God and trust Him always. They fill us with hope.
God's voice is always the one I need to hear. His way of doing things is always the way I want to follow for my life.
A prayer for today-
Dear God,
Thank You for Your good plans for my life.
Forgive me for all the ways I needlessly work to change things that are part of Your purposes for me. Forgive me for the ways I am waiting on change instead of living the life that is in front of me to the fullest with You.
You know my situation _____________________. I am calling on You, here Lord. And I know there are others out there, like me, who are praying for change when You are working and blessing us in our waiting.
Fill us with Your plans of hope.
God, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
You are our Lord and Savior.
In the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit I pray,
Amen
*This post is part of A Mind-Maker-Upper's Everyday Reading Project. Click here to read more.
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