God’s Plan for You

Don’t you love thinking back about old times? The older I get, the more I enjoy reflecting on memories, talking about favorite vacations and childhood jaunts, and remembering my dear mother, who is now in heaven. My sweetest memories are those that inspire hope. I recall what it was like to peel an orange, pluck a guitar, hold a cold glass of Coke, and feel my fingers tap the cool piano keys. Why do such memories inspire hope for me? Because rather than making me lament for what once was, I let them remind me that one day I will have new hands. My new fingers might dig in the dirt, picking and scrubbing fresh vegetables. And I smile as I imagine holding the hand of my dear husband, Ken, in heaven someday.

My best memories give shape to that hopeful future promised in Jeremiah 29:11. Your memories—especially if you’ve lost a loved one, or your health, or your ability to think clearly—should inspire hope in you, too. For as wonderful as the world was when all those special remembrances occurred—as wonderful as it was when my hands worked—these things are only a foretaste of more delightful, pleasurable experiences to come. Jesus is the one who makes our futures bright. Jesus assures us that our best memories will one day blossom into a more joyous reality than we can ever imagine. He is our hope (1 Tim 1:1).

What are the memories of things you’ve lost? How might those memories inspire hope in you today? How might those remembrances draw you closer to Jesus, the God of all hope? Grab hold of this verse—Jeremiah 29:11—and so many other Scriptures that promise the world. Oh, not this world, but the world to come!

Lord of hope, thank you for the promise of a future and a hope. Amen.

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