A recent Facebook challenge asked people to post seven Scripture passages in seven days. I have seen and appreciated the responses of parishioners Anthony Flott and Pat Dempsey to that challenge.
Kudos to them, because opening up your heart and mind in a public venue takes courage. And Facebook can be one way to take up Christ's challenge -- to proclaim His greatness, mercy and love to the entire world.
I thought about what I might post in response to the online challenge, and the above passage from Jeremiah was the first thing that popped into my head. And no wonder. An online search confirmed that that particular verse is among the most popular in the Bible.
Several commentators warned that the passage is taken out of context all the time, that people think God is promising to give us anything we want. The commentators encourage us to read the passage in its context, a letter from Jeremiah in Jerusalem to Jewish exiles in Babylon.
I think most people realize God isn't a magic genie who grants our every request. Though sometimes we need to be reminded of that. But as our Lord tells us through Jeremiah, He has plans for us. Our happiness is in that plan, and He will give us whatever we need or desire, according to His will for us.
For me, what is most comforting and reassuring about those lines is that God seems to be bending low to gently console me personally. And I suppose a lot of people sense a similar closeness when they read or pray over the text.
God has so many titles, but one of my favorites is "My Jesus." God is so great, so holy, so mysterious and so beyond us, yet He humbled himself to become one of us, under the name Jesus, to suffer and die for us. God did this for all of us, but for us individually and personally, too.
Thus He truly is my Jesus, Who stoops to my level and raises me up to His.
He has plans for me, He listens to me, He is always there for me.
I love You, my Jesus!
Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.
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