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.
Remember
plaster handprints?
I remember when the teacher poured plaster of Paris
into a paper plate and let it set up. Then I pressed my hand into it to leave my
unique imprint. After the plaster dried, I painted the print a pretty color,
probably pink, and tied a ribbon through the hole the teacher made with a
plastic straw.
Last week I watched as two of my grandchildren got
to push their hands into the cement for their new deck. They waited with excitement as they anticipated their turn to make
a permanent imprint. As the man pouring the concrete gave them permission, they
pushed their hands into the corner. They loved leaving their handprints in the
cement. Now they can compare their hand to the print and see how they grow.
In Jeremiah, God told him he had plans for him. The Lord gave him hope for the future. He placed his handprint on Jeremiah's life and watched him grow in the Lord.
A preacher spoke of looking back over his time
here on earth and seeing God's fingerprints all over his life. As I look back at
my life, I see the many times God's hand rested on me. Even when I've headed
into a situation I didn't particularly like, God knew what was best for me.
My plans may not always match God's, but I know
with confidence I can seek him and he listens. I know he guides me and keeps
his hand on me. He knows the plans he has for me. I pray for his direction and
help. In my rear view mirror, I see God's handprints all over my life.
Seek God with your whole heart and welcome his
hand on your life.
"In his heart a man plans his course; but the Lord determines his steps."