I Have Plans for You

Jeremiah 29:4-11

I heard a wonderful sermon by Rev. Tony Evans from Dallas, Texas. It inspired me greatly and I would like to use ideas from his sermon.

It was August 2000 when a Russian submarine called Kursk and its crew sank in the ocean. The rescue team reached out and found them. And when the divers were close, they heard a peep-peep sound from the submarine crew. They found out that it was the Morse code. They immediately decoded the message: “Is there any hope?”

Three years passed since the Iraq War. Everyday many are dying, soldiers and civilians. In this chaotic situation one can ask: “Is there any hope?”

I have a friend in Beirut called Serop. He became a Christian as a student in Haigazian University. He started to attend the church I served in Beirut, the Emmanuel Church. He became a very active member. He was writing to me that day an email saying that the situation in Beirut is not in a good shape. Many are thinking to emigrate. After so many years of war and unrest, one would wonder and ask: “Is there any hope?”

The book of Jeremiah was written in exile. The Israelites were in an exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. They were hopeless. They did not see the light at the end of the tunnel. They were hopeless for different reasons:

a- They were under discipline from by God. We read In Jerem.29:11 “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.” God disciplined His people. They were disobedient to God and they turned to false gods. God is saying to them: “I carried you into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.”

b- They lost the opportunity to worship God in Jerusalem. For Israelites, worship in the temple of God was very essential. They are in foreign land.

c- God is warning them from false prophets. We read in 29:8,9 “Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,’ declares the LORD.”

This is desperate situation. Israelites could not be in Jerusalem. They could not worship God. They could not believe in the teachers and preachers. They are being disciplined. What a tough situation.

Have you been in a situation like this where there is no way out. Hopeless situation. In this toughest situation, God comes and says “I have a plan for you.”

“Do not give up I have plan for you” "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” (vs 11).

It is a prosperous plan. It is a good plan. God’s plans are good for us. Let us find out what those plans are.

We will continue in English.