Jeremiah 29:11-14
11 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.
12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to 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 will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."
God has directed me to Jeremiah 29 this morning, and it couldn't be timelier.
The book starts out with an order. Verse 5 states "Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce." Meaning, we must keep going. We can't sit around and wait to be delivered. It is God's desire that we have an abundant life in our current situation as we await future plans that have been put in place for us. Even if our circumstances are not "ideal" now, we must live in complete trust and faith. We must act.
Verse 10 talks about His promise to restore us to His purpose. It is also a reminder that God's timing is not our own. Waiting on the Lord does not mean to do nothing. We are to continue doing our part in turning to Him and directing others to do the same, and in His time, He will do His part.
Jeremiah 29 then reminds us of His promise. Verse 11 could be called "the verse of hope". God tells us that He has great plans for us. We are to revive this promise as our own. This is not a message only to the Jews thousands of years ago, but to all people. THEN!! It couldn't be clearer. Pray to Him, call upon Him, come to Him, He will listen. He says it Himself in verse 12. He tells us that when we seek Him with all our heart, we will find Him. "…and will bring you back from captivity, and gather you from the nations and places where I have banished you, I will bring you back from where you are in exile."
This has hit me particularly hard, knowing that God has promised certain things over me, but I haven't seen any of those promises come to fruition. Jeremiah 29 is a good reminder that If we are to continue in the path set before us, as hard as it may be, He will be faithful in return. He promises that as long as we come to Him, He will always be there for us.
Verse 13 is clear, there is no other translation necessary. "When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul..."
