December 9 Advent Devotional
“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 upon 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.” Jeremiah 29:11-13
This scripture was a letter by Jeremiah written to those carried into exile from Jerusalem into Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. All these many years later, we may not have been sent into exile by a King, but we may feel if we are living a form of exile. We are unable to live our lives freely, unable to openly walk around without a mask on our face, unable to spend time with our loved ones, unable to hug others for comfort and even unable to worship God in our traditional way with a sanctuary filled with our church family. Our earthly lives are currently ruled by a virus that we cannot see, touch or some even feel yet it has overtaken every aspect of our lives in just 8 months.
But there is hope, there is always hope! Since the day God sent Jesus to live, suffer, die and rise again we have been given the greatest gift of eternal HOPE. As we prepare our hearts, for a very different Advent season this year, I pray that we seek to find joy, peace and comfort in the one and only constant in our lives that we can forever rely…. GOD! For God so loved the world, that He gave us JESUS and those are the plans He has for us. It is through Jesus that God has plans for our future to prosper, for us to be free from harm, for us to find eternal hope and a future that will endure forever in Heaven with Him.We just need to call upon Him, pray to Him and seek Him with all of our heart and He will listen. In this time of so many uncertainties, it brings me great comfort to know that our Sovereign Lord was with me yesterday, will be there all day today and will not leave me any day in the future. That is the only gift we need this Advent season and it is ours free for the taking, all we need to do is seek Him.
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for never forsaking us. What a priceless gift that you sent your son to save us from our sin! Lord, during this time of angst, uncertainty, fear and isolation let us feel your constant presence in our lives. Help us to seek you daily with our whole heart that we may hear the Holy Spirit’s whispers of the plans you have for our lives. That we begin each day with a joyful heart knowing that you are the same today, tomorrow and forever and our HOPE is in YOU!
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