Bigger, Better, Greater

Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

 

Almost every time I watch TV, I catch at least one commercial advertising some sort of fast food whether McDonald’s, Carl’s Jr., Burger King, or any other favorites. They usually show, in a hunger-inducing, get your taste buds salivating kind of way, a new burger that they have just created. From these commercials, I am convinced that the burger is so unbelievably delicious that I can’t help but visit the closest store to try that new burger. Unfortunately, most of the time I am quite disappointed by the purchase and go home unsatisfied. The burger was only half as good as it looked on television! I get even more disappointed when I decide to try some Mom and Pop’s store that was recommended by a show on Food Network or the Travel Channel. I go into the restaurant, try the specialty dish, and then come out unsatisfied again. Either I am a difficult person to please, or these dishes are just not living up to the hype.

Certainly we have all had these experiences where we were disappointed with something that we thought would be “amazing.” Because of the tendency of our plans or ideals not meeting our expectations, it is easy to bring this type of thinking into our lives spiritually. But the opposite is true with God’s plans for us. His plans are always bigger, better, and greater than we can imagine. In our passage today, the LORD tells His people, “I know the thoughts that I think toward you…thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (The word thoughts has been translated as plans in other versions.) The context for this verse indicates that the people of Israel were currently in Babylonian captivity. Just like any person in bondage, they sought for freedom from their captors. Many false prophets were telling the people that in just a matter of time the Lord would break this yoke of bondage and set them free. But Jeremiah was preaching an entirely different message, a message actually from the Lord, which was instructing the people to adjust to this life in captivity, for they were going to be there for a while. The Lord was telling the people to start building houses, planting gardens, raising children, and even praying for their captors. The Lord basically told them that they needed to get used to this life in captivity until their exile was complete. This plan definitely would not have sounded appealing to the Israelites. But the Lord made sure to remind them that His thoughts and His plans are plans that are bigger, better, and greater than they could imagine – plans that would bring about peace and an expected end. Their best plan was to be free from the yoke of the Babylonians right this instant, but God’s plan was to deliver the Babylonians into the hand of the Persians for utter destruction, to return the captive Israelites to their land, and to even have the Persian king provide supplies to rebuild the Temple of God. It was a bigger, better, and greater plan. Another more obvious example is with Jesus Christ. The Jewish people thought their Messiah had come to earth to free them from their Roman captors, but Christ came to do so much more than that. He came to free all people – no matter what nationality – from their captivity to sin. Freedom from death over freedom from people, clearly the former is much greater.

In our lives today, it is easy to get caught up in planning our next moves, deciding that we have all the control and can pilot our lives the best, since we “must know ourselves better than anyone else knows us.” But the obvious truth is that God knows us better than we know ourselves, meaning that His plans will always be bigger, better, and greater plans for us. One of my great mentors in the faith is Pastor Verne Campbell. He recently moved to state of Washington, reluctantly leaving his ministry as a hospital chaplain here in California. Now, he is looking for ministry opportunities in Washington, where he can continue to serve as a chaplain whether it be at a nursing home or hospital. When we prayed about it this last Saturday, it got me thinking about how we often think we can come up with a great way to serve God. We feel that we have this wonderful, well-thought out plan that will impress God, but in actuality, our idea was just the tip of the iceberg of what God had planned for us. God’s plans are always bigger, better, and greater than we can even consider. Let us trust in our Almighty God and Savior to devise plans for us that seek our peace and our expected end.