Filled with Hope
17th MARCH 2023
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I will bless you with a future filled with hope — a future of success, not of suffering. You will turn back to me and ask for help, and I will answer your prayers. You will worship me with all your heart, and I will be with you and accept your worship… [Jeremiah 29:11–14 CEV]
The King James version renders the word ‘plans’ as ‘thoughts’, translated from the Hebrew word machashabah, which can also mean purposes or imagination. To imagine is to see something with the mind’s eye, and that’s vision. In other words, the opening text can also be interpreted to mean that God has his own vision, thoughts or plans for us. What we see from this is that “love” has a purpose for us, and it is one that fills us with hope, a future of success and not suffering.
Again, love’s intention and imagination for us is to receive us when we return from wandering away. This is the encouragement God gives us to turn to Him and take our eyes off the mess we may find ourselves in. This means for Christians that, no matter what our present circumstances are, we can also trust in God’s intention or vision for us, because it is always good and will bring us to an expected end.
The good news here is that, prayer not only enables us to discover what the plans, thoughts, or intentions of God for us are, but it also activates the power (ability and might) needed for the accomplishment of the same. Prayer is important for both knowing and doing the will of God. Turning back to God is not just about our position, where we find ourselves, but it is also about being in sync with His plans. In that space, as we go along with our responsibilities and duties, He offers us His help and answers our prayers.
We should understand that God wants us to pray to Him. That is why He fills us with hope, which our verse refers to as a blessing. We are blessed to have a future filled with hope. However, one of the very important things that hope is supposed to work in us is to bring us to the altar of prayer. And we pray concerning those things He has impressed on our hearts to give us hope, all the wonderful and beautiful things He shares with us [His vision for our lives].
Thank You, Heavenly Father, for revealing Your vision to me even as I pray, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Further Reading: Matthew 7:7 / Jeremiah 6:16
Bible In One Year: 1 Samuel [1–4]
