“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).
One Christmas Eve in the early 1970s, I was driving my little blue Nova on a dark road, going I don't remember where. The radio was playing a Christmas song, I don't remember what. What I do remember is feeling completely alone. My parents had both died, six months apart, in 1969. My sister was spending Christmas with her new husband. That night my loneliness completely overwhelmed me. If ever anyone needed the comfort of knowing the surety of God's faithfulness and future plans for me, I did.
What happened next reveals God's provision and care. I joined a loving church family, becoming a live-in sitter for two sisters and was treated like their older sister. I met and married my "handsome prince" and was welcomed into his godly family. We moved, making great friends in our churches in Arizona and New Mexico, faithful to us even now. In 1977 our son, Andy, was born. I could go on and on counting our blessings. What a wonderful future God had planned for me!
The Israelites were captives in Babylon when Jeremiah wrote these words to them. They would spend 70 years away from their homeland, but God did not want them to give in to hopelessness. He had a long-range plan for a good future for them.
Even when--no, especially when--we cannot see God working in our lives, He is there. He comforts us by putting people in our lives who are "God with skin on." And isn't that what Christmas is all about? God's Son put skin on and came to comfort, encourage, and love us. What a wonderful God we serve!
Nancy Ross and her husband, John, have been members of First Baptist Nashville for over 20 years, raising their now-grown son, Andy, in our fellowship. For more than 10 years Nancy has been the director of the four-year-old department in Sunday School, sometimes working in Parents Day Out during the summers. She previously worked in our Media Library. John serves First Baptist as pastoral care assistant and receptionist.
The audio version of today's devotional was recorded by Margi Hawkins.
