Jeremiah 29:11 “’For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’”

SCHEDULES

I am a planner. I need to have my day scheduled. That is just the way God wired me, I guess. Even when I go on vacation, I need to have a plan. I know, call me crazy (many have, lol).

So, of all people, I need this verse. I bet a lot of you have memorized this verse. We all need to remember that, if we allow the Lord to work, He has a much better plan for us. He wants to bless us and give us a future and a hope.

TEACHING MOMENT

What kind of future do you want for your children? Do you want one with God’s plans or yours? Did you know the word “plans” could be translated as thoughts or imaginative thoughts? “Welfare” is the Hebrew word for peace (shalom). “Hope” means the things you long for. What parent would not want God’s thoughts, His peace, and the things He longs for in the life of their child?

So teach your children this verse now. Show them that God has a much better plan for them than you do or any plans they can make themselves. Ask your child to use THEIR imagination for a second. Ask them to imagine a perfect future for themselves. As perfect as they can imagine does not come close to God’s perfection. And God’s perfection and His imaginative thought wants to work in their lives if they will allow Him. That doesn’t mean their life will be perfect, but it will be perfectly imaginative.

Now, why don’t you take a moment and imagine your future, mom or dad. Imagine how it would be if you would just let God take control. Remember, Jeremiah is writing this as the people of Judah are in exile. Not exactly a perfect scenario. But even in exile God can perform miracles. Let Him!