2023 looks to be the year of AI. Artificial Intelligence that can do anything from build a website in seconds to create music or images from just a simple prompt is now available to anyone. I, for one, find the pace of technological change both exciting and terrifying – and more than a little overwhelming. It seems like a whole new world sometimes.

 

The Israelites who first heard these words from Jeremiah faced many challenges in their own time. They had been taken into exile by the Babylonians, torn away from their homeland and their familiar way of life. They were living in a foreign land, surrounded by a different culture and way of thinking. It must have been a time of great uncertainty and fear for them.

 

In an ever-changing world full of uncertainties, this verse offers us great comfort and reassurance. It reminds us that no matter what we're going through, God has a plan for our lives.

 

But even in the midst of their struggles, God had a plan for their future. He was working behind the scenes to bring about their restoration and to give them hope. And in the same way, he has a plan for our lives today, no matter what challenges we may face.

 

So today, let's take comfort in the fact that God is always at work, even when we can't see it. Let's trust him to guide us and direct us, even as the world changes around us. Let's pray that we would have the faith to believe in his plan for our lives, just as the Israelites did so many years ago.

 

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your promise in Jeremiah 29:11. Thank you for having a plan for our lives, even when everything else seems uncertain. Help us to trust you and follow your lead, knowing that you have our best interests at heart. Give us the faith to believe in your plan for our lives, even when we can't see it. Amen.