Now that we just experienced a collective time of gift-giving through Christmas, let’s explore something that the Lord has given us.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV
My husband recently preached a sermon using this scripture. He did something strange (which really isn’t that strange once you know him). He focused on the word “toward”. That is not a word I’ve ever hyper-focused on when reading this very well known passage. The obvious focus should be that the Lord wants us to have peace, not evil and to give us a future and hope. All good things, right?
Because I’m a super visual person, I pictured God throwing me ball. When someone throws something to you, there is an option to catch that which was thrown or to let it hit you… or pass you by if they have bad aim. Catch or don’t catch.
These thoughts that the Lord has are TOWARD us… they are coming TOWARD us. The word “toward” makes all the difference in the meaning of this scripture. All that God creates begins with a thought. But that doesn’t mean we POSSESS it. We have to decide whether or not we’re going to catch what He is throwing toward us!
So get out your catchers mitt friends. Catch and hold on to the peace, future and hope that God has designed just for you.