“ ‘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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.’ “ (Jeremiah 29:11-14, NIV).The writer of the cited verses for today’s consideration, Jeremiah, was of a Jewish Levitical family. He lived at a small village called Anatoth about two miles northeast of Jerusalem. God called him to be a prophet in 626 BC, in the thirteenth year of King Josiah’s reign in the southern kingdom of Judah. His prophecy continued under the next four kings of Judah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. It was a troubled time for the nation. Jeremiah has often been termed the weeping prophet, for he had to give a very unpopular message, so often pointing out the sins of his people that led to their being overtaken and many exiled to Babylon. But today’s verses stand out as a clarion call of hope amidst trouble. It looks to a time when the exiles would be restored and God’s purpose and way would be recognized and fulfilled.
“ ‘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.’ Some passages in Scripture have a very significant meaning for us personally because of how they have given us courage and hope, as this message from Jeremiah did for his exiled people. I can see the scene clearly and feel the pathos of the situation, but above the sorrow that hung like a cloud, this scripture spoke clearly and offered hope. I share this true story with you to give you courage from whatever burden weighs you down and may have you “in exile”.
It was a beautiful day, with brilliant sunshine flooding the mountain community. The crowd gathered, more than one of the larger church sanctuaries in our county could hold so that there was standing room only, some overflowing to the vestibule, classrooms and even outside. We had gathered for the “celebration of life” memorial service for a fine young citizen of our county, Tommy, (well, by now he was called Tom, for he was grown up; but many of us present had known him as a winsome boy, lad, young man, and still called him Tommy). He was an entrepreneur, an up-and-coming, well-respected businessman in our county. He had learned to fly, did well with his lessons, but unbelievably on his first solo flight the plane developed unforeseen problems and crashed, taking Tommy’s life. His death left behind a beautiful young wife named Emily and their two daughters when they were at such a vulnerable age as teenagers. The whole community was shocked and wanted in any way possible to show their love, compassion and sympathy for the young widow and her daughters, other members of the family, fellow workers and all who mourned. It was a large gathering of supporters, pray-ers, Christian friends who wanted to say to Emily and her daughters that they were loved. The minister used the verses from Jeremiah to bring comfort and to encourage the bereaved family. Despite the tragedy of the accidental death, there would be “a future and a hope” for those who remained, and, assuredly, Tommy was already enjoying his future with the Lord. His wife and daughters were already fulfilling the requirements Jeremiah gave; They were seeking the Lord, praying, coming back from the “exile” of the sorrow that could have been binding and debilitating.
I can say by means of salute and testimony that dear Emily and her daughters were examples of following the advice Jeremiah gave. The words of encouragement that fell on their listening ears the day they buried Tommy became a pattern for life after deep shock and sorrow. Emily took the situation firmly in hand, was a marvelous mother to daughters who themselves knew Christ, and became an example of what can happen if one goes on with purpose from experiencing an exile into tragedy. Emily, a nurse, assumed leadership of Tommy’s business as if that was what she had been trained to do. She made it go forward. In addition, she has served admirably in public offices and has been a leader and role model for many. She has demonstrated in her life that God does give “a future and a hope” to those who earnestly seek Him and depend on Him. And those beautiful daughters, too, are likewise examples of that “hope and a future” promised by God!
Prayer: Help us, Lord, to take your promises to heart and to allow You to lead us through tragedy to triumph. This is your plan for our future and our hope. But we must begin that step in faith, seeking You so that You can fulfill Your promise through us.
c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Saturday, October 30, 2010
