"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 a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
This is a promise of God. He knows what is best for us. He has a purpose for us that He has already laid out. He wants our lives to be successful. Why doesn't it happen? Who wants to blame God? I bet lots of hands would go up if I asked that in a crowded room. But God has stated that He wants us to be successful. If that is what He desires, would He really try to keep us from that?
We have all felt abandoned by God at times. We struggle with feeling adequate about our lives. We simply want more fullness, more happiness, more satisfaction. after all, that is what God promised us. Why hasn't He delivered? Why does He just sit there while I suffer? Why doesn't God intervene and make me happy? Well I ask this... Why won't you let Him?
God has not moved. That goes against His nature, against His promises, and, most of all, against His Love for you. God has told us in John, Hebrews, Joshua, and probably other places, that He will never Leave us, never abandon us, and never forsake us. So why aren't we fulfilled? We have moved away, and what is worse, we are still choosing to do so.
We can probably look back over just the last 24 hours and see situations where we chose not to obey God. Why should we obey God? I am not naive enough to think that people don't ask that question everyday. Well here are a few ideas.
1. He created you. We call Him father for a reason. He gave you life. Without Him you would not be here at all. Ideally there is a form of respect that is shown to a father from his child, that is if the father is deserving. I know not everyone has been raised by a father who was worthy of that respect, if they even had a father at all, and for that reason God has given us more reasons to respect him.
2. He died for you. Without the death of Jesus Christ where would yo be? I'm willing to bet your life would have even less purpose than it does now. If you need a tangible example try this: put yourself in the shoes of a 15 year old child. You have no family, no home, and occaisionally no food. Each day is a new experience in suffering. Common people scoff at you and make fun of you as they pass by. Then one day you actually encounter a caring person. They are deeply moved by your situation and decide to take you into their home. they offer everything they have to you, their food, their home, their finances, their friends...... their life. How would you feel toward them? Do you insult their generosity by refusing to obey them? would you run away from someone who has saved you from so much? I doubt it. But you do it with God all the time don't you?
3. How about a purely selfish reason... God promises to give you what your heart truly desires. That means pure happiness. It is not a promise to give everything your head desires, your envious nature and greedy personality desire, or your lustful body thirsts for. These things don't bring true happiness. Oh sure you are feeling great when you get these things, but how long do those feelings last. If you can sustain it for moer than a couple of weeks I'd be impressed. These worldly pleasures are very shortlived, and if you are truly honest with yourself, you will probably see that they don't really satisfy you. all they do is make you want more of them. But God promises to know your heart, and what it really desires. Does that mean you will have it tomorrow? Probably not. Does that mean you don't deserve to have it tomorrow? Not necessarily. Most likely it means that if in fact you got it tomorrow you would do 1 of 2 things. Either you would not appreciate it yet, or you would fluff it up to the point where it is not enjoyable at all in the future. But rest assured that He promises you will have it. And if He knows what to give better than you do yourself, isn't it safe to say that He also knows when to give it better than you do yourself?
Sothat brings us back to the question... Why do we run away? Why won't we obey? Because we like to play god and be in control of our lives. If you are anything like me you hate not being in control of things. You feel like the worst could happen at any moment, and then you would have no way to fix it. But what I have found is that when I am "in control" the worst still happens, and I still have no way to fix it. you know why? Because I don't have the power to control everything that happens in my life. But I know someone who does. But don't get me wrong, just because I know this amazing Guy that will hold me in the palm of His hand, and protect me from anything, and set me on the perfect path, does not mean that I let Him do it. No No No..... I am an incredibly selfish person. I want everything now. Regardless of whether I am ready for it. I want to be in control. I want to live my life the way I choose. I want to be god in my life. Bet you never realized you felt that way sometimes. Did you ever really think that your selfishness is pushing God away, and saying you want to control things, and in effect take His job. I didn't for a long time.
God spoke through Isaiah inchapter 55 of his book, and He told us that His thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and His ways are higher than our ways. Bottom line... that means He is smarter than us. It means His timing for things is better. It means that when I want something now, I should seek His will, and first see if I can handle it yet, and then see if it is intended for me yet. Yeah this is getting long...... I'll do patience later.
Just think about this.... why are you running? Why won't you let Him take care of you. What makes you want to have the power in your life?
2 comments:
How does a more complete view of the Exile help fill in this verse in Jeremiah? God had a plan for his people, but his people had turned their backs on Him (something you also were alluding to). They chose instead to worship false gods and to not practice social justice (something so largely overlooked) towards each other. They had the attitude that they could figure it out for themselves. I think this context so helps your arguement. How appropriate it might be for youth, I'm not sure.
Back to Jeremiah, even though God may have a plan to prosper, not to harm, etc, they must still go through the Exile. God's spirit will no longer reside in the temple, and he will support other nations in their support of the conquest of His chosen people. This breaks Jeremiah's heart, even during a time of reform, when the leaders have found the scroll in the temple and turned back to God. But the individuals are not sincere, and must go through the Exile so that they will be blessed themselves.
The remant that returns to the land will be the ones that will be prospered. They will return to God, and God will honor his covenant with them. But the Exile must still happen to bring this about. Is this too deep for youth? Is a good historical background beneficial for youth's understanding of Biblical promises? I of course think it is, but then again I'm not the one in charge of youth at the moment. ;)
God bless ya.
I agree with what you say.... and while I would like to say it is somethign that would be great for youth, I think it would have simply confused them for the most part in this blog. When it comes to going through exhile and being forced to wait for what we are promised.... I would have to do that in an entirely separate blog for it to be effective. At the age, and level they are at at the moment, they would see that and subconciously lose hope if in something good coming, if it were intermingeld into this blog.
Like I said... I don't disagree with you. I just do what I can to have as little confusion as possbile. Not all of my readers are at the same education level, and same level of understanding on spiritual matters.
Post a Comment