Hi EACF,
This is Elder Mike. Two years ago, I decided to start a journey of regularly memorizing passages from scripture based on an old flip-binder I had purchased decades ago coming out of college (yes, I am old). They were called "Fighter Verses"- meant to help followers of Jesus keep the sword of the Spirit in their hearts and minds so as to wage war against the schemes of the devil. For those who are interested in coming along this journey, I'll be sharing a short passage hopefully at least every two weeks, and provide a brief comment on it. I'm not theologically trained like Pastor David, but I hope something simple like this will be of encouragement for any of us who would like to grow in loving God's word. May the Spirit speak and move among us as He ordains- as the Lord's word certainly will not go forth and return void, but will accomplish His purpose.
Jeremiah 29:11-14a "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the LORD." (ESV 2001)
As I briefly touched upon this morning in Sunday service, these words were written as part of a letter from prophet Jeremiah to the Israelites in Judah who had been taken into exile in Babylon. In accordance with His word, the Lord uprooted them from Jerusalem for their idolatry and faithlessness to God's law (Jeremiah 25). The temple in Jerusalem was razed, its treasures looted, and the city walls were torn down (2 Chronicles 36:15-21). So the recipients of this word are a subjugated people severed from their homeland, and having witnessed and survived the ravages of being conquered, are receiving just punishment from the LORD.
But God wasn't going to leave them that way indefinitely. Even in the midst of their punishment, the Lord speaks words of hope to them, reassuring them that He is decidedly NOT done with them as His people, but has good plans for them. Even as Judah suffers the consequences of their own evil, He reminds them that He desires and ordains plans for their wholeness (that word is "welfare" in more updated translations) and not for evil- moreover, He still wants to be found by them! He still wants wholehearted fellowship with His wayward people!
This was God's heart for Israel, and His heart hasn't changed for His people, including us His Church, whom He bought with the precious blood of Christ.
As we walk into 2023, may the Holy Spirit grant us hearts that seek Him earnestly, with our whole hearts, and may we remember that no matter what kind of hardship we walk through together as a body of believers together at EACF (as well as individually)- that the Lord has plans ultimately for our good through it all.
Grace, Peace, and Love,
Mike
P.S. The Fighter Verses have been updated and revised over the years, so I'm going to share a link for those of you would like to take a look. https://www.fighterverses.com/verse-index. They also provide some practical tips/tools to help both parents and children alike to memorize scripture: https://www.fighterverses.com/tools
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