I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July. As I write this on the 3rd, we are under a heat advisory with high humidity which is causing the potential for thunder storms. The weather has most likely impacted many holiday plans, whether it’s moving a picnic inside due to the heat, or avoiding being in the pool or on a boat during a thunderstorm.
“The best laid plans….” Plans… We spend a lot of time making them, following them, and adjusting them. Some of us are better at planning and then adapting than others.
It’s probably why thinking about God’s plan is comforting. Surely God’s plans are perfect—well thought out, easy to follow, with no need to adjust or adapt along the way…right?
Our Out of Context series scripture this week comes from Jeremiah. If put on the spot, most of us would have a hard time describing the prophet Jeremiah or quoting a verse from his book in the Bible. We might be more likely to sing about a bullfrog!
Except, that is, for this verse that comes from 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.” Sound familiar?
These are words that comfort and reassure us that God has a plan for our lives. They are shared in times of transition and new opportunities. They are a favorite for religious graduation cards and gifts. I have them hanging in my office, a lovely gift from special people.
But sometimes we might focus too much on ‘plan’ meaning that everything goes perfectly or smoothly, especially for me. And if it doesn’t, then we’re not sure what that says about God’s plan or how I or others understood it.
Like the other passages in our “Out of Context” series, the more we learn about the context of this familiar scripture passage, the more meaningful it becomes.
As we learn more about the prophet Jeremiah, who he was, who he was speaking to and why, we will understand more about God and God’s constant faithfulness in the midst of political upheaval, exile, and people who had their own plans. We might even change our understanding of what ‘plans’ means.
I’m looking forward to exploring this passage and the context of Jeremiah with you this Sunday.
Over this next week, I encourage you to pray for our mission team that will be serving in Tijuana from July 6-11, for those of us headed to the North Central Jurisdictional Conference July 10-13, and for peace and justice in our own country and around the world in places that continue to practice and strive for freedom for all people.
Blessings,
Pastor Suzanne