Inspired by Guadalupe River State Park
I’m the type who likes to make plans. I love to make bucket lists for each season and to-do lists for each day. I love doing projects and watching the development from start to finish. I love planning vacations and family visits. I even plan time for planning.
My brother has explained to me that I compensate for anxiety by making plans. This compensatory skill has become especially helpful in dealing with chaotic and difficult seasons, as well as the unpredictability of parenting.
While on my personal path of looking ahead and making plans, I’ve been picking and choosing what I want to hear from God, the Lord of hope. I’ve been reading scripture that promises that good is triumphant over evil, that we have hope as an anchor, and that the Lord can overcome all struggles. I like scripture that coincides with my plans.
Then, I came across the type of story I was trying to avoid in Jeremiah 27-29.
Jeremiah prophesied that the Israelites would serve under King Nebuchadnezzer of Babylon, his son, and his grandson. They would leave their homeland and submit to the control of a king they distrusted. The Israelites didn’t like this prophesy. Many didn’t want to believe that they would give up freedoms and even die far from home while under King Nebuchadnezzer’s rule. They were told it would be 70 years of oppression. 70 years away from the comfort of home. 70 years living a life they had not planned.
This opened the door to a false prophet, Hananiah, who promised that the people would return to their land and the lives they were used to within two years. It was a promise people could cling to. Hananiah’s prophecy offered hope. The Israelites could make their plans.
But Hananiah was wrong. The Israelites were exiled. Their plans were destroyed… their hope, diminished.
If I lived during the 6th century, BC, who would I have chosen to believe – Jeremiah or Hananiah?
I probably would have listened to the false prophet. His promise would’ve matched my plans. His prophecy would’ve sounded better for my idea of the life I desire for myself and my family. It would’ve offered my version of hope, just as I choose to believe that this political season and economic downturn, full of anger, division, frustration, decline, and violence, will end soon and lead to significant change in our nation. I’m making my plans!
However, it’s not about me and my plans. The hope our Father offers is not related to the leader of this nation or how much money we can save (or spend). I have to remember the true message in Jeremiah’s prophecy.
Jeremiah encouraged the Israelites to live well while in exile, even if their own plans for a good life would never come to fruition. They were called to worship the true king, work hard even under oppressive rule, to sow gardens they may never get to reap, to build homes somewhere other than their homeland, to marry despite their inward strife, to have children potentially bound to slavery, and to pray for the town and the king they did not choose.
In Jeremiah 29:11, he adds God’s familiar promise: “For I know the plans I have for you. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
This bit of scripture reminds us that we have many blessings and opportunities to live a fruitful life no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in. Our idea of abundance may not match His, but God is good in all situations, seasons, and political regimes, even if His own plans don’t make sense to me or align with mine.
There is always a greater promise than the earthly plans we make for ourselves, and it will be better than we could have ever imagined. I will worship the king of kings above all else and rely on the hope He promises, regardless of current circumstances and my own faltered plans.
This piece is inspired by Guadalupe River State Park. We love visiting this park because of the beautiful river running through it, the kid-friendly trails, the discovery room, and the stunning views. Although the river is fun to swim in and quite calm near the banks, the current can surprise you and take control.
Once, when my husband and I brought our two toddlers to the park, we waded out to the center of the shallow river, each holding one of our little ones , who wore puddle jumper floaties because they were not yet swimmers. As we ventured toward the small ripples in the water, something took hold of us, and we were no longer in control.
The current slammed our bodies into large rocks underwater, and there was no way to get our footing. We struggled to keep our babies, and even our own heads, above water. As I recognized that we weren’t able to keep our kids and ourselves safe, I screamed, “toss the babies to shore”. With as much might as we could muster, we launched the kids out of the current’s path and prayed they could stand and get to shore. We had to let go and trust that they would be ok.
Then, we could use our freed hands to swim toward the shore ourselves. It worked, and the kids were safe! Thank God we walked away with just cuts and bruises, as well as a greater appreciation for the forces of nature.
