The prophet Jeremiah sent a letter to Israel’s leaders and priests.

Jeremiah reminded them what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, had said: though they were in exile, God had thoughts of peace toward them. He did not wish them evil. He intended to give them both hope and a prosperous future.

We are all encouraged by a leader who stirs us to move ahead, who believes we can do the task given us, and who promises to be with us. Jeremiah reminds us that the Almighty God is that kind of leader.

God knows our future and has plans for us that are good and full of hope. As long as we accept God’s agenda and go with His plans for us, we will fulfill His mission. We can have boundless hope in our lives.

This does not mean that we will not experience pain and suffering. It does not mean we won’t experience hardship. Jeremiah assures us that the Almighty God will see us to a glorious conclusion.

We have choices to make along the way.

Some of our choices may not be in alignment with God’s plans. We might stray from the mission He placed before us. But God allows us to move back to Him. His plans are always the best for our future.