Tuesday, October 13, 1998
 

"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, New International Version

    When Israel lay devastated in the face of a ruthless enemy that would rob all the glory and strip bare the very soul of God's people, God issues his promise. While the destruction visited upon them was in response to their rebellion and sin, God's punishment wasn't punitive alone, but redemptive. In their destruction, God promised prosperity, hope, and a future. Just as a doctor must cause pain when he sets a broken bone so it may heal, God's discipline is not capricious but curative, and ultimately life-giving.