“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (English Standard Version)
Now upon first reading, this verse from the book of Jeremiah one can get that feeling of assurance or confidence. When I was 15 years old there was so much going on in my head and in my life that I heard this verse and instantly called it my “life verse” and I held that understanding until I was 20 years old. I even got the reference tattooed on my foot to look down and feel motivated to keep going. Because at the time I hadn’t actually read the book of Jeremiah. Just that verse. Now before you click out of this article because Jeremiah 29:11 is a verse that helped you get through some rough times let me just say first off, the verse didn’t get you through, GOD got you through and He’s still bringing you through. Be proud of that tattoo or coffee mug or canvas on your wall because that one verse is part of such a larger story of how God brought a group of people out of exile and how we still have that hope and assurance that God is coming back for us too! Now if you’re still with me allow us to proceed.
A major thing to realize about Jeremiah 29:11….it wasn’t written to us. That’s right you read that correctly! Jeremiah 29:11 wasn’t intended for us as individuals. It was spoken by God to Jeremiah and the nation of Israel. Take a look into the background of Jeremiah and the setting of the book Jeremiah.
Jeremiah was in his youth when God called him to be the prophets to the nations. By youth the Jewish writers would set his age around 14 years old, now that’s pretty dang young I’d say! So Jeremiah’s response in Jeremiah 1:6 referring to himself as a child and not knowing what to say to the people I think is a very valid first response! But another way to translate Jeremiah calling himself a “child” is his lack of experience. So Jeremiah is very young when he is first declared a prophet by God.
Israel during this time was in exile due to their disobedience to God. They were being given false information and false hope from a false prophet telling them that in a couple years’ time God would deliver them. Jeremiah 29:1-9 sets the context for this letter. Jeremiah 29:10-23 are God’s words to the Israelites. There’s more to it than just, “I know the plans I have for you” There’s more;
“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12-13
You will CALL upon me and PRAY to me. You will SEEK me and with ALL your heart. I do not regret my tattoo I got when I was 18. Yes, I loved it out of context but I love it even more now in context. Jeremiah 29:11 is one small sentence of a much larger much greater story. God had a plan for the Israelites and He tells them that when they call on Him, He will be there. And when they seek Him with all their hearts they will find Him. This letter wasn’t written to us, but it was put in the Bible for a reason, I believe it is for us. To use as a reference of just how faithful God is. Even in the worst of times, even when we can’t feel His presence or think He’s not listening, we can call on Him and He hears and He listens. Jeremiah 29:11 will forever be on my foot but Jeremiah’s testimony and God’s faithfulness will forever be in my heart.
