His Plans for Us
“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.” Jer. 29:11
We can stop trying to be good enough
for God. God loves us right now, whether
we are homeless or in a mansion; unemployed or salaried; on death row or in the
front row of church every week. We can
do nothing to increase God’s love for us, nor decrease it. For His love is total, complete, and without
condition. He created us, He adores us,
He wants the best for us. Nothing can
ever change that. No amount of sin will
stop that love. God’s Word states it,
and Jesus lived a life with examples of it.
God’s love for, and use of the lost to accomplish His purposes, brings
the lost to their knees where finally they are found. When we understand that incredible force of
love, when we accept it, we want to become better people.
Understanding that the Lord has a
great plan for us opens the door for us to see not with our eyes, but with our
hearts. It creates a climate of mercy,
of forgiveness, of grace. Where once we
viewed the world darkly, we now see it brightly lit. We find the best in people, not the
worst. We speak with hope, not
despair. For we have the Holy Spirit,
whose very life within us allows us to forgive the transgressor. On our own we cannot do it. But with the Holy Spirit it is possible. We are salt, we are light in Him.
Finally, we are introduced to real
love. Not infatuation, not a crush. We see real love, Christ like love. Love that frees, not binds. Love that unshackles, not chains. Love that permits another chance, not denies
a second opportunity. Love that extends
beyond the borders of those we like to those we despise. Love within the walls of the sanctuary and
love inside the walls of the prisons.
Love within our homes and love within the homeless shelter. Love that accepts. Love that forgives. Love in all languages, all colors, all nationalities. Love that heals.
God knew every wrong step, every misdirection,
and every mistake you and I would make before we were born. It didn’t change His love for us. He has shared in our anguish and in our joy. We are imperfect people who have said yes to
a perfect Savior. God uses us, the
imperfect, to be ministers of His mercy, His grace, His reconciliation. We are part of His plan, His perfect
plan. We give thanks to God.
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