A Journey with Jeremiah

Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." NIV


God gave me Jeremiah 29:11-13 to hold on to in a hard season in my life about 6 years ago. I was experiencing what felt like and ending, but God promised it wasn't through this verse. It was the hope I clung to when all I could see was, "THE END." I have since clung to this verse as hope for me through many different circumstances, including my current battle with chronic illness. I have to say, believing it through this battle has thus far, been the most difficult.

As I sat down this morning to meet with God and read his word, it occurred to me that I never have read Jeremiah in it's entirety. Thus, I don't know the full context to which these verses belong. So today I decided to embark on a journey with Jeremiah to learn more about God's thoughts regarding his good plans for me...and you, if you want to join me.

I started out, logically, with chapters one and two. The book of Jeremiah is God's last ditch effort to plead with His children to come back to them before they are to be exiled to Babylon. They were disobedient and it was young Jeremiah's calling to speak the words of the Lord in hopes they would see their wicked ways and return to the God who had been faithful from the start.

Goodness, in just the 1st two chapters, I have a lot to say but I will try to narrow it down. Chapter 1 verse 5 states that God knew us before He ever formed us in our mother's womb and set us apart for His purpose. I have gone through many seasons in my life where I "knew" what I had been set apart for...set apart for youth ministry, set apart for prayer for a particular person, set apart to bring His light into different situations and corners of my family tree, set apart to bring hope and healing to children, families and others in my counseling practice, set apart to bring love and compassion to my sons and husband, set apart to bring a different voice into the classroom in which I teach, set apart for.....chronic illness? Huh? Now that doesn't fit the picture. It is that very problem I have been wrestling with for the past two years. In my human eyes, it has felt like my purpose has been set aside, put in the past, left abandoned and unexplained. What am I set apart for now? Am I still special in my Father's eyes when I am not "doing" for him. How can I be accomplishing any special purpose when I am lying in bed plagued with fatigue? The question has changed. The new question is "can I surrender to a purpose that I don't understand, don't like and would rather trade in for something that looks more fun and fantastic?"

So, God knew before I was born that at age 36 He would be asking me a new question of purpose and trust. "Kimberli, will you trust me with this new life, propose and way of setting you apart?" It doesn't make sense to me yet, but when God asks me such a kind a gentle question like "will you trust me?" I feel comforted and today I am reminded to say "yes."

There is another verse in the chapter I want to get to, but I'll save that for later. Hope you will join me for the next step in our Journey with Jeremiah together.