Vantage Points

“Dad come quick!” My five year old daughter, Brianna, yells while she is in the backyard with her brother and our dog. Our dog, Kimber, was exploring the backyard of the AirBNB we were staying in. Brianna was crying, thinking Kimber had gotten out of the fence. From her vantage point it looked like she had. But standing from the porch where we could see more of the yard my husband and I could tell that Kimber was indeed still in the yard. My husband reassured her and called her to walk over to where she could see that Kimber had not run away. 

In Jeremiah 29, Jeremiah pens a letter to reassure the Israelites in exile that God had not abandoned them or forgotten his purpose for them. Jeremiah 29:11 shows us that God’s plan for His people is peace and plenty, not evil or calamity. God has a future and a hope for His people even in their suffering. However, the devil’s goal of deception is to rob God’s people of their sense of His future and a hope for them. I am sure that from their vantage point things were not looking hopeful and it would be easy to lose that sense of hope. 

So how can we trust that God will come through with His promise even when from our vantage point things look hopeless? The whole point of promises is to build trust and God left us with a Bible full of fulfilled promises. When faced with a hopeless situation, we can turn our attention from the anxieties of this world and instead focus on the fulfilled promises of God. 

A couple of verses later, in Jeremiah 29:13 God says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” This amazing promise from our righteous holy God to sinful people echoes a promise in Deut. 4:29, “But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.” And it remains true even to the present day as Jesus said in John 6:37, “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” 

God will not hide from His people when they seek Him. This promise is echoed throughout the Bible many times. Even though we can’t see the whole picture that God sees, we do have access to a bigger picture than the Israelites did. A better vantage point! We can see the thread of this promise woven throughout scripture. 

Are you facing a hopeless situation today? Remember God’s promise of peace and plenty, and ask God to lead you to a better vantage point. 

"God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" Numbers 23:19 (NIV)

About the Author

Hi, I’m Jessica Parker! I’m married to my incredible husband, Phil, and together we have two beautiful kids. My husband is an Army veteran so we have moved around a bit but now live in beautiful North Georgia. I enjoy reading, hiking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. I can testify to how life changing walking with Jesus and being in His word daily can be. Therefore I am passionate about helping women find a life giving community and learn more about God's love for them.