“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

We love to recite this holy passage when we are in the throughs of trying to attain personal goals given by God but are stymied by setbacks along the journey.  Most of us who grew up memorizing this verse fall back on these words as encouragement when our walk with God gets rocky.  We are guilty, however, of taking this verse out of context at times and using it as a “lucky charm or chant” to feel better about our current circumstances. 

We need to read the whole story!  God’s prophet at that time, Jeremiah, wrote these words to a troubled, downtrodden people who had been taken from their homeland and forced to live in Babylon—a culture ungodly evil. This captivity happened because of their disobedience to God, shoving God out of their daily lives, neglecting a relationship with Him, so He allowed the exile to occur.  Now, they are living with the consequences of their disobedience. 

But God intervenes because “His compassions they fail not.” God commanded His prophet, Jeremiah, to write these words of encouragement to His beloved depressed and oppressed people. Jeremiah reminded them of who they are in God with a plea for them to return to God.  Yes, they have sinned but God is not finished with them yet and there is still time to repent and turn back to God.  The enslaved, surviving exiles needed to hear exactly what God had to say to them.  God wanted them to know HE has a greater purpose for their lives even in their current circumstances.  “I KNOW the plans I have for you.”  Where God is; there will always be Hope.  As soon as we commit to God, Hope arrives!  Jeremiah’s words of hope reminded them that God was designing a good plan with a hopeful future.

Do human struggles precede God’s intervention to His glorious hope?

Meanwhile, centuries earlier than Jeremiah’s days, God reveals his plan and purpose in David after years of struggling as one considered to be the “least and not worthy” in his own family or in his community. Yes, he was gifted at composing songs and playing his lyre which soothed King Saul’s insanity—but a warrior and then king?  

Why did God choose David?  Why did God take time to mold and shape David first as a good shepherd and then a giant slayer? Why did God allow David to spend years as a fugitive on the run from Saul who was jealous of him?  God is this part of the plan—struggle before victory? The answer lies with our heart condition.  “God looks at the heart”, Samuel is told when choosing David.  God knew David’s heart was fully committed to him which meant David was teachable.  God equipped this young shepherd boy to mature as a warrior and King because of his willing, obedient, teachable spirit.  This is what God looks for in the lives of His created.

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9

God knows exactly what we need when we need it most.  God’s plan is not to destroy us but to bring us to full, undivided attention, a trusting commitment, with a desire to obey Him.  When God has our undivided attention with a heart fully committed to Him, his glory explodes with HIS purpose with a plan for us that give us hope and reveals our future!

Saul just didn’t “get it” (relationship with God) nor did he get the memo (God’s plan).  Therefore, Saul had been “the people’s king” but he wasn’t the Lord’s first choice, for God had given him as a judgment against Israel because they wanted to be like the other nations (1 Samuel 8) who had kings. The Lord loved His people and knew they needed a shepherd, so he equipped David to be their king. Unlike Saul, a Benjaminite, David was from the royal tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10) and was born and raised in Bethlehem. Because of this, God was able to establish the dynasty that brought the Messiah Jesus Christ into the world, who also was born in Bethlehem.

Never forget:  In the midst of trouble and chaos, God is working to design a future for us that is full of hope, peace, and success.

Here are some of the answers to why David is chosen: 

David is a man after the heart of God. He inquires of God asking what He wants him to do. David listens and then “he did what God commanded him to do.” Is it any wonder why God provides all David needs to fulfill His plan for His people?  All the tribes of Israel now recognize David as their king.  David now fully realizes his position as King of Israel as another king honors his kingship with an act of generosity by building a new palace for him!

2 Samuel 5

David Becomes King Over Israel

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. ² In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’”

³ When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.

⁴ David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. ⁵ In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

David Conquers Jerusalem

⁶ The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” ⁷ Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.

⁸ On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those ‘lame and blind’ who are David’s enemies.” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”

⁹ David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces inward. ¹⁰ And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.

¹¹ Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. ¹² Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³ After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. ¹⁴ These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold. ¹⁸ Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; ¹⁹ so David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

²⁰ So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim. ²¹ The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.

²² Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; ²³ so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. ²⁴ As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” ²⁵ So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

To sum things up for today, read the words of Max Lucado as he teaches and reminds us of the full and complete plan and purpose of God revealed by God’s Word;

“God is doing in our generation what he did in ancient Egypt: redeeming a remnant of people. In his final book God reiterates his vision: “A great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’ ” (Revelation 7:9–10).

This dream drives the heart of God. His purpose from all eternity is to prepare a family to indwell the kingdom of God. “ ‘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, emphasis added). Oh, the beauty of the thrice-repeated word plans. God is plotting for our good. In all the setbacks and slipups, he is ordaining the best for our future. Every event of our days is designed to draw us toward our God and our destiny.

To the degree that we believe and accept his vision for our lives, we will get through life. When people junk us into the pit, we will stand up. God can use this for good. When family members sell us out, we will climb to our feet. God will recycle this pain. Falsely accused? Wrongly imprisoned? Utterly abandoned? We may stumble, but we do not fall. Why? God “works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” (Ephesians 1:11). Everything means everything. No exceptions. Everything in your life is leading to a climactic moment in which Jesus will “reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:20).—Max Lucado, Encouraging Word Bible

Our Response?  It’s personal.

Pause to communicate with God.  Ask God what He wants. Then surrender to His agenda as we walk humbly with God all day long.  With expectant hope, watch as His glory unfolds as He reveals his purpose and plan—His work in us. Praises will automatically follow by those who hearts are fully committed to God.

Lord,

Thank you for your Word that give us Hope and a Future with you—all because of Jesus’ willing but struggling sacrifice so that our debt of sin was paid in full.  Without sacrifice and resurrection from death, there is no hope.  Jesus, you are our Hope! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen