During the months since my amazing experience that I call
The Parallel Journey I have been driven back many times to the familiar
Scripture, Jeremiah 29:11. God
undoubtedly used it in obvious ways to give me peace and courage before facing
major surgery for lung cancer, and even again later to encourage me on the slow
path of rehabilitation.
As I have written before, I tend to be extremely cautious about lifting any
verse from Scripture and assuming that God is using it to speak to me in some
specific way, or to anyone else. I’m
even more reserved when the verse has become so often quoted and popularized as
I now realize this one has. Nevertheless,
the circumstances and modes by which He brought my focus to the verse were
clear evidence of the grace He was extending toward me and His desire to give
me His peace.Thanks to notes that I made (a rare occasion!) on a sermon given by Dr. Bob White, I have gained a much deeper insight into this portion of Scripture and much of what I want to share is drawn from that learning experience. Incidentally, this occurred on July 17, 2011, a month before I knew anything about the challenging health issue that lay ahead. Our family was attending a church service while vacationing in the Orlando area.
Let’s look more closely now at the context of Jeremiah 29:11. A careful study of the passage where this verse is embedded (Jeremiah 29:1-14) will reveal many lessons about the character of God and principles that we can apply when we are in painful situations.
As Chapter 29 of the Book of Jeremiah opens, the prophet is writing a letter to all the political and religious leaders of Judah (the remaining portion of the kingdom of Israel), as well as to all the people with them. They have been taken into captivity by the king of Babylon and are now in exile there. In short, they are in a place they don’t want to be. They are there because they, as a nation, have forsaken God and been unwilling to obey and trust in Him.
Unlike all the officials who are telling the people what they want to hear, that their troubles will soon be over, Jeremiah as a lone voice is speaking the truth from God. (Does that pattern sound familiar?) Yes, Jeremiah agrees, God has promised that their captivity will come to an end…in 70 years! It is here that he inserts God’s promise to Israel that He knows the plans he has for them, for their welfare and not for calamity, to give them a hope and a future. Note that this promise was given to Israel at a specific time and situation and was to be accomplished after a set number of years.
How then are we justified in claiming this verse as a promise to us as individuals when we are in some place that we don’t want to be, any place of suffering, pain or despair? I believe we err in doing so and should be careful how we use it in encouraging other believers.
But you’re probably thinking, “Wasn’t this very verse a great encouragement to you?” Yes, but wouldn’t it have been just as much for my welfare and given me a wonderful future had the Lord chosen to take me home to be with Him rather than restoring me back to this life for a little while longer?
My point is this: This passage, and especially this verse, tells us of the great mercies and faithfulness of the Lord, and it assures us that He has our future under His control, that whatever He chooses to do will surely be in our best interest. I believe it is appropriate to claim this verse as assurance that God will always treat his children in accordance with his character and to use it as encouragement that we can totally trust Him with our welfare and our future in any situation we may face.
I’m learning that it is far better to know the Lord than to know what He will do.
For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord. – Jeremiah 29:8, 9
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