The thoughts that I think toward you

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

There is no thought in the human mind that could be better or greater than the thought that the Lord is thinking of us. The psalmist declares, “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.” See Psalm 139:17-18. More in number than the sand! How precious are His thoughts unto us! We cannot reckon what those thoughts may be. They are inconceivable, wonderful, loving, and precious. The thoughts that I think toward you! saith the Lord.

Now what are these thoughts? Can we get a small glimpse of them? You see, we are told that they are thoughts of peace. Israel would be in captivity for seventy years, but God had intentions of bringing them out of the heathen land, and to deliver them from the wicked city. His thoughts were thoughts of peace! They would have peace in the end, although for now they had turmoil. They would have rest in the end, although for this moment they had uncertainty, fear, and persecution. God’s thoughts were to bring them forth from the fetters of iron, and out of the dungeon of evil. They were not thoughts of evil! He did not intend this to be their end! It would only be temporary, and would quickly pass away from them. It was a provisional trial that served its purpose, but was not the end for them.

For here the Lord also says that His thoughts toward them were to give them an expected end! What did they expect? They expected that the God of Jacob would deliver them. They expected that the promises of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would come to pass. They expected that all that God had pronounced upon them in the past would take place in the near future. And these were God’s expectations too! Although the furnace of affliction was hot, and the sorrow long, yet it was only for a definite amount of time. The end was not yet. There was an expected end. And I must ask you this morning, as we meditate upon this truth, what is it that you expect? What end do you long for? It is reasonable to expect it! It is righteous to claim it! It is according to God’s holy will to place your faith in it, for it is an expected end! The great wise man writes, “For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18). Dear friend, your expectation stands in the mind of God. Do not expect it to be exactly as you had planned, because our plans are not always in accordance with God’s plans, but we can have great expectations! They shall not be cut off! For the Lord thinks great thoughts toward you, and they are thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end! Look toward that end today, trusting in Him and the great thoughts He has for you!

“Dear Father, we thank you that you have not left us, forgotten about us, or let us fall to endless troubles and misfortunes. But there is an end with you! Our expectation, we believe, shall not be cut off. Help us now to trust in this promise that has been spoken to us today. We look forward to what you will do, though the current trials seem so long. We are in Thy hands. You have thoughts for us, and we trust in your expected end. We praise and thank you for these things, in Christ’s name, Amen.”