Hope and the future
Jeremiah 29:11
"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."— Jeremiah 29:11, NIV
Reflection
This verse is a high-school graduation card, but it was originally written to people in exile — people who were going to be in Babylon for seventy years before they saw home again. The 'future and a hope' is real, but it's not necessarily this week. The verse before it tells them to build houses, plant gardens, settle in. The hope is true; the timeline is God's. If you're in a season that feels like exile, this verse is for you — but it's asking you to build a house in the meantime.
Prayer
Father, I trust that you know the plans. Help me build today's house faithfully, even if I don't get to live in tomorrow's.