Fasting Reflection 3
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"'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 on 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.'"
Jeremiah 29:11-13 |
Reflection and Prayer
These famous verses were written in a letter by Jeremiah to God's people in exile in Babylon. Their situation seemed desperate and they were equally desperate to return to their own land in Israel quickly. Indeed some over zealous, self appointed prophets were already telling them this would happen. But such stories were a false hope. Instead Jeremiah instructed them that it would take 70 years and so they should settle, for the time being, in Babylon and seek its welfare.
It is normal to want an end to difficult circumstances. We all do. Even during a fast, which we have chosen to do and is short term, we can want it to end quickly. As we work through this desire and continue all the same, we learn other important things: patience and endurance.
God gives two things to his desperate people in exile: a great promise and a significant responsibility. He promises that he has plans for them, he's not forgotten them, he is with them and will lead them into a bright future.
They are given the responsibility of seeking him with all their heart. God's promises don't rule out our responsibility. They encourage our responsibility. It is because of God's amazing promises that we have hope and encouragement to seek him with all our heart.
Our seeking him is not in vain. We are pursuing the only one who can lead us to a hopeful and blessed future. So, in the middle of this day we take heart that our God invites us to seek him and that our seeking him is not in vain. He promises us this.
It is normal to want an end to difficult circumstances. We all do. Even during a fast, which we have chosen to do and is short term, we can want it to end quickly. As we work through this desire and continue all the same, we learn other important things: patience and endurance.
God gives two things to his desperate people in exile: a great promise and a significant responsibility. He promises that he has plans for them, he's not forgotten them, he is with them and will lead them into a bright future.
They are given the responsibility of seeking him with all their heart. God's promises don't rule out our responsibility. They encourage our responsibility. It is because of God's amazing promises that we have hope and encouragement to seek him with all our heart.
Our seeking him is not in vain. We are pursuing the only one who can lead us to a hopeful and blessed future. So, in the middle of this day we take heart that our God invites us to seek him and that our seeking him is not in vain. He promises us this.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your amazing promises to us.
We thank you that we are not seeking you in vain.
We thank you that you have plans for us, that you are with us,
and that you are the only one who can lead us with hope for the future.
Remember us Lord and fill us with your Spirit.
Give us confidence and joy in your presence.
Lead us as we trust in you that we may know and fulfil your will.
And bring us, at the last, into your kingdom where there is fulness of joy in your presence.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We thank you that we are not seeking you in vain.
We thank you that you have plans for us, that you are with us,
and that you are the only one who can lead us with hope for the future.
Remember us Lord and fill us with your Spirit.
Give us confidence and joy in your presence.
Lead us as we trust in you that we may know and fulfil your will.
And bring us, at the last, into your kingdom where there is fulness of joy in your presence.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
