“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.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
A Hope and a Future
According to the Toronto Star, “the pandemic has dramatically transformed the way we live, work, shop and play in a matter of months. … Canadians are clearly uncertain about the future. In a survey KPMG conducted in collaboration with research firm Delvinia this past November, more than 90 percent of respondents said the country needs a more circular economy where fewer resources are wasted. 83 percent expressed concern about the effects extreme weather, pollution and land use will have on our future food supply.”
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The people of Israel had been exiles in Babylon for 70 years. After almost two generations their hope was fading quickly. I’m sure many of them wondered if God had totally forgotten about them. Was He going to leave them in Babylon as He had left their ancestors in Egypt for centuries? As He does for all of us, God had been watching over His people, and at just the right moment, God spoke to them. We read in Jeremiah 29:11: “’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.’” God had not forgotten about them! And He hasn’t forgotten about you, either. You may feel like you have been exiled – through grief, or family challenge, or financial pressures. God knows exactly what you are going through and He gives you the same promise – He has plans for you that will give you hope and a future. What you are facing right now is not the final chapter – God has times of great blessing and joy ahead. The days of exile will soon be over.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley