God is there, even when your hopes and expectations are dashed
By Dean Collins
Even in the very moment you thought was the worst possible situation, God was there. He is not only with us in these moments, he has a plan to lead us through these moments.
Difficult news
I imagine the Jewish scholars and artisans who were in the first wave of the Babylonian exile did not anticipate that they would not return to Jerusalem. Jeremiah’s opening remarks in chapter 29 spoke directly to those who were exiled in this first group. They were told to settle into their new home. Get married, have children, buy homes, build houses, plant gardens, and seek the welfare of the city where you have been planted.
The recipients of this message probably had a hard time accepting it. Surely God had another plan. God’s beloved were in exile for 70 years, a virtual lifetime. It was not their plan. Yes, there were plenty of warnings about repentance and God’s judgment. While it did not line up with what the exiles imagined, Jeremiah confirmed that God had plans for his children. His plans were for good and not evil. His plans were and are filled with a future and with hope.
Twists and turns
You can do your own inventory or assessment of how many times your plans did not turn out the way you imagined. My quick highlight reel includes the divorce of my parents, starts and stops with my education, career challenges, a divorce, an unexpected assignment to become a college president in a time of great challenge in higher education, and several other situations. I could write chapters on each of these twists and turns of plans that did not go as expected and usually came with personal and financial challenges.
At age 16 when my parents separated and I was basically on my own, a pastor told me, “You can’t unscramble eggs.” His point was that even though my family as I knew it would now be different, I could not change it or fix it. He explained that God still had a plan for me and that if I would seek after God, he would show me the way forward. He was right. The pastor did not mention that the future would bring other setbacks and interruptions. However, every time I have experienced something not working the way I imagined, I have remembered his remark. I also remembered his prayer for me and his encouragement that God had a plan for me.
Eternal purposes
When challenges come and plans change, it may be short-term or it may be a longer season like the long seven decades the exiles experienced. However, God’s plans have and are working out for his eternal purposes. The exiles did return. Jerusalem and the temple were rebuilt. A Messiah did come. Salvation is ours because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
And now we are called to live once again as exiles. Peter’s words in 1 Peter 2:11-17 sound a lot like what Jeremiah told the exiles in Babylon. Do good and live honorably, even when others—maybe even others not of your choosing—are leading the government. Live as servants of all. Jesus did not ask us to take over the government locally or abroad. He did tell us to make disciples, to love our neighbors, to treat others with respect, and to silence the ignorant by how we love and serve each other.
For how long? Until his plans for us are complete. I can’t find any passage of scripture that makes exceptions for us to live other than the way Jeremiah or Peter instructed. We are called to love and serve until either Jesus returns for us or calls us home to Heaven. And when we meet him in eternity we will see that his plan for us is finally complete. His perfect plan includes one big and permanent reunion without any further interruption, difficulty, sickness, or disappointment.
Your time with God’s Word
Jeremiah 29:1-14; 1 Peter 2:11-17 ESV
Photo by Rene Böhmer at Pexels.com
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