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 hope.
This oft-quoted verse is part of a letter from Jeremiah to the Israelites in captivity in Babylon under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah prophesies that they should not give up hope; they will not be captives in a foreign land forever. Jeremiah says they should build houses and settle down, plant gardens and eat what they produce. They should marry and have children and in general contribute to the life of the city where they live. If they do not allow themselves to be misled by false prophets, then after 70 years (a rhetorical number signifying a generation), they will be brought back from captivity.
Have you ever been on a path you planned and worked to see through to the end goal when suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, God redirected your path to a place you never anticipated?
This has happened to me many times throughout my life. I’m not normally an indecisive person, but in college I changed undergraduate majors twice and graduate majors three times (all within the same university), but still. . .
As newlyweds, my husband planned to work In his field in the Knoxville area, where I already had a job I loved and our families lived. But then Jim was offered a job with a very good company in Wheeling, West Virginia. Neither of us knew anything about Wheeling, and I doubt that city is on anyone’s list of dream destinations, but off we went.
Years later we were happily established in the Blount County area with daughters who were in college. I expected to retire from my job there is a few more years, but once again our plan was altered and we ended up in McDonough, GA. Again we knew no one and nothing about this place, but it was convenient for my husband to reach the 10 sales representatives he managed throughout South Georgia. Off we went once more.
We actually thought we might get to stay there until retirement, but again God had a different plan. Jim was transferred to the Nashville area, and we chose to live in Franklin because he needed easy access to Interstates and hopefully, less traffic than further north.
Finally we did end up in East Tennessee, close to family, especially young grandchildren, and longtime friends. We were so thankful to have the opportunity to return to our “home.”
Looking back on that journey of unexpected twists and turns, I see God at work. In going to new places where we knew no one, we found churches that both nourished and challenged us spiritually. We had wonderful friends and neighbors with whom I stay in contact. We had career opportunities we had never dreamed of. In other words, what we thought of as “exile” became opportunities to flourish. I am so thankful for God’s direction in our lives.
You will likely never be exiled, but if God’s plan for your life leads in unexpected directions, follow in faith. God’s promise to give us hope and a future always creates the best path.
Let us pray:
Dear God, as human beings, we tend to think we know best how to live and what to do. In truth, your plan is always best. Help us keep our ears and hearts open to your guidance and give us strength to serve you and others wherever you lead us.
This devotional was written and read by Pat Scruggs.
Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.
If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.
First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.
