Put Your hope in the Lord: (29:10-14):
Our hope is on the Lord Jesus Christ, on His word, and on His promises. Let’s not make such vain dreams or listen to the prosperity Gospel preachers. God has given many promises to His people but with conditions. Every promise He gives to you is to draw you nearer to Him, to bless you and make you a blessing for the society and the nation.
- For I know the thoughts I have for you: God knew the thoughts towards the exiles Jews in Babylon, but they did not know. King David said: “Many Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare” (Ps.40:5).
“How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand” (Ps.139:17-18).
- Plans to prosper you and not to harm you: God has special thoughts and plans for His people. His plans do not harm us. His plans are too deep to understand many times. He wants to mould us, prepare us to receive the best. He is Jehovah Jireh, the provider of all good things to us.
Henry Varley said: The world is yet to see what God can do in and through a man who is completely yielded to Him. When Henry the revivalist spoke of these words, a person jumped up and said: I want to be that person. This man was none other than DL Moody, one of the greatest preacher the world has seen.
Yes God promises you to prosper in your life. Do not be upset with trivial things, but seek the right priorities in your life. Put God in front of you in all your decisions and endeavours. Jesus said: “seek first the Kingdom of God and all these shall be given unto you” (Matt.6:33). You may be a student, an employee, a house wife, or a business man or business woman. God promises you to have a prosperous life provided you give your first place to God.
- He will grant you peace not evil: The exiled Jews lived in the fear of God’s judgement. It was easy for them to think that God was against them and He intended evil against them. But the prophet Jeremiah assured them that God never intends evil against His people. God’s thoughts for Israel was peace.
Similarly we may think many times, God is punishing us because of our sins. No God is giving us an opportunity to get back to Him and have His full blessings. Let’s look at the example of Joseph the son of Jacob.
Ex: Joseph was sold to Egyptians by his own brothers. But raised him to the 2nd most position in the Egyptian Kingdom after Pharoah. During the famine, his brothers came to him to buy grains. Joseph said to His brothers: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Gen.50:20).
- God provides a future and a hope for His people: Although the Jews were suffering in Babylon for their sins, God was devising a perfect future and hope for His people. Yes, this promise was for the people Israel, when they were in Babylon, the God is same yesterday, today and forever. The promise is not less favourable for those earnestly seek Him. The promise is extended to all the descendants of Abraham He is our true hope. God knows that we are human beings. Many times we fall short of His expectations. The beauty lies in how swiftly we turn back to God and ask for forgiveness. He cannot stop anyone seeking Him. His ears are always attentive to us. He is always near to broken and a contrite heart. Yes, He prepared a great future for us. His plans are the best for every soul in this world. He is calling you to submit to Him.
The promises given to Jews are reaching far beyond the Jews to the Gentiles through the Lord Jesus Christ. We as Gentile believers, can cling unto these promises, live in the expectation as laid down in the Word of God.
Delivered at Eu & EGF gathering at Raipur.