GOD Wants You to Move Forward

Year 2020 continues to be one for the books! The pandemic is in its 6th month in the United States, businesses are redefining customer interface, Churches are reopening to smaller congregations, the hurricane season is in full swing, and the entire west coast is on fire. What next? I heard someone describe a meme going around stating, “Have we tried unplugging 2020 waiting ten seconds and plugging it back in?” But what are we to do?

In Jeremiah 29, Jeremiah the Prophet scribes a letter from GOD to the captives in Babylon. We are reminded in 2 Kings 25, Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon surrounded Jerusalem, had the House of the Lord burned and all the inhabitants taken back to Babylon. This is not a surprise to Jerusalem, but the people had been warned several times by GOD through Jeremiah and GOD’S warnings were rejected. But although GOD is clearly punishing the sinful and arrogant nation, He is reassuring those in captivity that He has a plan for each of them.

Starting in Jeremiah 29:4, GOD is speaking to the captives of whom He has caused to be carried away. GOD tells the captives to keep living by building homes, tending gardens, getting married, having kids, embracing the day, seeking peace and praying for where you are. His message could not be clearer, keep living the life GOD has given you.

In verse 8, the captives are warned not to be misled by the leaders among you and don’t listen to your own fears, but instead pray for GOD’S guidance and keep moving ahead. To expand on this verse, I would caution us all about the misleading information coming out of the media (both news and social). If you remember, I swore off national news media back at the first of this year and I cannot say I have missed much. But while sitting in the barber shop last Friday, they had the news blaring away and I couldn’t get over how biased the reporting has become. What happen to just reporting events as they occur? Why do we need an editorial review of the event with a definite spin (mostly negative)? Have we become a society that feeds on the negative? Are we only interested in what people (or a political party) are doing wrong? Is it more important to find blame for our misery, then to embrace our life? And if we are not blaming others, we are blaming ourselves for our life not turning out like we thought it would.

However, it is in verse 11 the captives learn of GOD’S thoughts toward them: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  How reassuring to know that the GOD who created the heavens and the earth, is the GOD who has thoughts of peace and hope for my future. GOD is GOOD. Further in verse 12, GOD reassures us that when “you will call upon ME and go and pray to ME, and I will listen to you.”

Fellow believer, we are captives of this world and we naturally can only see the negative that is 2020. But our GOD has “thoughts of peace and not of evil” for everyone’s future.  Now it is up to us to choose to move forward and live the life GOD has given us, to choose to tell others what GOD has in store for them: a future and hope. Choose to believe in GOD and not the media. Choose to pray to our GOD for those who have lost hope and pray that you may be the vessel for GOD to speak to their heart. Choose to not let this world drag you down, but instead use the surrounding events to tell others about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Thank you GOD, for leading us through this year and thank you for assuring us hope and a future!