Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
For days, all we heard from newscasters was “Get ready for the big storm.” We were told to make sure we had non-perishable food items, water, fuel, cash, flashlights, batteries and more… in case we were iced in for several days and lost power. We were warned to run any errands and make preparations to stay at home for a while. I saw people in Wal-Mart who were gathering games and other activities to occupy their kiddos over the weekend – especially things that wouldn’t require electrical power. I helped a couple of bewildered husbands find the candles their wives had sent them to purchase.
The ice came, and some areas lost power. Those who didn’t have a plan in place must take personal responsibility, because we were all given ample time and warning to face this storm with hope for a positive outcome.
Anyone who knows me very well can tell you that I am one of those people who like to have a plan. I don’t function well in the realm of “whatever comes along”. I can be spontaneous, and I can adjust on the fly… but I really like to know what’s on the agenda. Of course, there are always unknowns. We can’t always prepare for trees that fall on our house… cars that spin out of control on an icy driveway…or power outages that last far longer than we expected. We can’t know that we will get sick…that certain events will have to be cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control, and more. In short… we truly don’t know for certain what our future holds… at least not 100 percent!
The GOOD NEWS is that God knows exactly what’s in store for us. His plans are perfect. He knows what will be cancelled, what obstacles we will face… and even if the power will go out – and for how long! If we trust God’s plans for our lives… if we have faith and confidence that He will work things out for good and not for disaster… we can live with hope that our future is bright. We still won’t know what is going to happen at any given moment… but we know that God is working things out perfectly. In other words, we don’t know what the future holds, but we know WHO holds the future.
Because of this promise, I can handle the “surprises” that come my way… both the happy ones and those that are not so pleasant. I know that God is planning every minute of my future…and it is indeed a good one. Because I believe in God… because I trust His promises are true…I have hope - and I pray that the same can be said for you. Are you with me?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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