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There are few verses we love to claim more than Jeremiah 29:11:

"I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope"

Mmmm, we love that. We put it on Bible covers and posters and artwork. We put it up at home and remind ourselves at work. The simple, straightforward notion that God has plans for my welfare that gives a future and a hope? Wonderful.

Of course, there are no small numbers of genuine, Bible-believing Christians who will tell you, "That's not for you." Why? Well, in every instance it is important to examine context for the proper understanding of any text. The context of this one?

For thus says the LORD: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you My promise and bring you back to this place" (Jeremiah 29:10).

Oh, now that's interesting. It is God speaking. He gives the context for the next verse. The context is "when 70 years are completed for Babylon." Ummm, that's not now. That's not here. That's not us. It is absolutely clear that the context of this statement from God is a promise to the Jews in captivity in Babylon and the "welfare" in view is specifically to bring them back to their homeland. And He did. Promise fulfilled. End of sentence.

That is clear, but I think it is short-sighted, even dangerous to understand Scripture that woodenly. With that kind of reasoning the Great Commission, for instance, doesn't matter to us. It was spoken to a specific group of men at a specific time under specific conditions and it could even be argued that it was accomplished. Paul told the Romans "Your faith is proclaimed in all the world" (Romans 1.8" data-version="nasb95" data-purpose="bible-reference" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(70,149, 156); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Romans 1:8) which suggests that the gospel had already reached "all nations" (Matthew 28:19). Mission accomplished. End of sentence. Of course, I don't believe that and neither does anyone I know. I would argue, then, that although the Jeremiah verse is said in context to a specific people at a specific time with a specific fulfillment, the principle is still applicable today to God's people.

So we have this promise that God has plans for good for us. That's actually not found just here. It's found in another favorite: Romans 8:28. We have this certainty that God works all things together for good to those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. Same promise as the Jeremiah promise to the exiles in Babylon ... only better. It's better because their promise was just to get back home but ours is "all things."

The mistake we make, then, occurs in our interpretation of the Jeremiah passage. We read it and we see "plans for welfare and not for evil" and "to give you a future and a hope" and we interpret this through our earthly lenses. We read "welfare" as "things I like" and "evil" as "things I don't like" and "a future and a hope" as "pleasant," perhaps even "health and wealth." (It's a popular verse for the "name it and claim it" folks.) This, dear reader, is a lie from Satan. We are interpreting God's Word from a 21century American perspective rather than ... God's perspective.

First, the word for "welfare" there is shalom. Do I need to tell you what that word means? It is "peace" -- not "lots of money." It isn't like our "welfare" as in the free handouts from the government. God's plan is for our peace, not our comfort. The word for "evil" there is the same word used by God when He claims, "I make well-being and create calamity" (Isaiah 45:7). It is, in fact, the same two terms -- well-being (shalom) and calamity (evil). God claims both. He is not promising that bad things won't happen because He makes bad things happen. He is promising that His plan is for our best, even if that is going through bad things. It is the idea of Joseph's words to his brothers: "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20). God allows the unpleasant, the uncomfortable, the trials for our benefit (James 1:2-4). That's the idea from God's Word. That's the idea from the Jeremiah passage.

Note, in fact, the outcome that God is promising to the exiles in Babylon. After He tells them that He plans good things for them, He tells them the good that He plans:

"Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you" (Jeremiah 29:12).

After Paul tells us that God works all things together for our good, he tells us the good that He plans. He works all things together for good according to His purpose. What purpose?

For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29).

That's God's purpose. That we would be conformed to the image of His Son. That we would call upon Him and pray. That we would be connected to Him as His children, His adopted.

Plug that back into God's promise to the Jews. "I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD. What plans? For their best. What best? That they would turn to Him, talk to Him, have a living relationship with Him. His plan for them; His plan for us. It kind of makes "health and wealth" pale in comparison. "In Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:19). God's plan is reconciliation with Him. There is no better "welfare," no better promise for a future and a hope. I think the Jeremiah promise remains for us. We just need to avoid expecting a pitiful human notion of a pay off instead of the rich one God intends.

"Inspiration For You" from Randy Mitchell

Watching Your Dollars Fly Away