‘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)
Plans
Many Canadian children learn how to skate and play hockey when they are very young. So Hockey Canada recently introduced new on-ice hockey plans for players under 9 years of age. According to Hockey Canada, “Under-9 hockey players need to progress through these practices to ensure they are exposed to age-appropriate drills and activities that will develop their confidence. The goal is to support the development of a sound skill base so young players will experience success playing the game.”
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Joseph, the son of the patriarch Jacob, was placed in a dry cistern and taken to Egypt where he was unjustly imprisoned. During this horrible time in his life, that dragged on for years, he must have wondered what God was doing through all of it. What God was doing was preparing him to lead Egypt through times of plenty and times of famine. He would end up providing the food that would keep his own family from starvation. God has plans for our lives as well, and through good times and challenging times, we need to remember the promise of 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.’ Nowhere in the Bible do we get the promise that because we are followers of Jesus, we will be protected from anything that would cause challenging things to come our way. You may have some of those in the year ahead. But you can claim that no matter what happens, God is working for your good – to make you more like Jesus and to make you a blessing to others.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley