All the Hope We Need

Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)

11 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.

We often do not know our own thoughts, nor do we understand our own mind, but God is never uncertain about his thoughts or intentions. We sometimes fear that God’s plan and designs for us may fall against us; but God knows the contrary for his children; for his thoughts are of good and not for evil; even when those plans may seem harsh and painful they are designed for our good. They work together as a plan for our lives to give us a future of hope.

In his book Jesus Among Other Gods, [(Zondervan, 2000), pp. 17-18], Ravi Zacharias tells the story about how God, the Master Weaver, sovereignly works to weave beauty into our lives as we respond to his will. During a trip to India, Zacharias noticed a father and son who were weaving some of the most beautiful Indian wedding saris in the world. Zacharias explains the background and then describes the scene:

The sari, of course, is the garment worn by Indian women. It is usually six yards long. Wedding saris are a work of art; they are rich in gold and silver threads, resplendent with an array of colors. The place I was visiting was known for making the best wedding saris in the world. I expected to see some elaborate system of machines and designs that would boggle the mind. Not so! Each sari was being made individually by a father-and-son team. The father sat above on a platform two- to three-feet higher than the son, surrounded by several spools of thread, some dark, some shining. The son did just one thing. At a nod, from his father, he would move the shuttle from one side to the other and back again. The father would gather some threads in his fingers, nod once more, and the son would move the shuttle again. This would be repeated for hundreds of hours, till you would begin to see a magnificent pattern emerging. The son had the easy task—just to move at the father's nod. All along, the father had the design in mind and brought the threads together. The more I reflect on my own life and study the lives of others; I am fascinated to see the design God has for each one of us … if we would only respond to him.

Our minds cannot comprehend all that God has in store for us. God walks us through changes in life that are at times joyful and at times sad. God is working with us to develop us into something special, something beautiful and all we need to do is be patient and listen to God in order to know what to do. We face trials in life that are difficult, but those trials strengthen us and even allow us to encourage and strengthen others when they face the same trials. God wants us to have peace in our lives knowing we can count on him to see us through any adversity. Every step we take grows the hope we have in God and Christ Jesus and brings peace and contentment to our lives. It is said, “without hope people perish”; but with God and Christ we have all the hope we need.