By:Mandy
My daily Bible reading today led me to Jeremiah 18. In this passage, God is showing the prophet how the people are like clay in His hands to be formed and re-formed however He chooses...and since He is the master potter, His way is best. While reading this I was reminded of probably the most quoted verse in all of Jeremiah: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans for a hope and a future" (Jer 29:11).
"Well," I thought, "that is reassuring. I just needed that extra little reminder that in the midst of what seems like uncertainty and chaos to me is all planned out with love from God." Right, but then I got to 18:12, the people's reaction to the Lord's plan of sanctification and a call to repentance. They say "That [repenting, following God's way] is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart."
Honestly, I have never told God verbally that I think His way is vain and pointless and I would like nothing more than to follow my own evil and stubborn heart. But I knew as I read this that is what my heart says more often than not. God says to put our house on the market and I say "No! I'm comfortable here...we've got the baby's room all planned out, I like the paint colors here, I have worked so hard on my garden. You don't really want me to leave all this?" He asks me to submit to my servant-leader husband and I say "Let me complain and nag first! He doesn't know what he's asking of me. I'm pregnant and emotional...just let me have my own way!" He asks me to study His Word, to pray, to serve others sacrificially and I say "Why can't anyone serve me? I have too much to do. I need to rest. I deserve to do my own thing."
Funny how all these words start sounding a lot like what the Israelites said. The point is I believe 29:11 and yet echo 18:12 in my heart. My prayer is that I would truly and fully believe that God's plan is loving and right. My plan, when it breaks with God's commands and leading, may look better at first, but in reality is for my harm and NOT to prosper me or God's kingdom.
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