God’s Purpose Prevails

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans (Hebrew: Thoughts; imaginations; intentions; purpose) I have for you,” says the Lord”

The Lord says and would say to us today, I know the purpose, I know the intention, I know the things I have imagined, I know how I think about you – what I have for you.

What an incredible gift – that you are so loved by God, so intentionally created, so formed and imagined by the One who knows you completely – that His purpose will be achieved in you.

When we read about God’s purpose in the Bible, it is most often in the singular form – He has a purpose.  But when we read of His plans, or His paths of righteousness, or man’s plans – there are many – they are most often in the plural form.  Why?  Because to achieve His purpose, He will make sure the plans we make and the paths we take will eventually lead us to His purpose.

The problem we most often encounter as Christians is that we think 2 + 2 = 4.  If 4 is the destination, then we think 2+2 is the only way to get there – and we get hurt, confused, even feel betrayed when our best efforts of achieving 2 + 2 fail or don’t yield an immediate result.

But we forget that 1+1+2=4, as does 2 x 2 or 7-3 – in fact there are so many ways to get to four, that you could spend an infinite amount of time exploring them – and I did actually ask a friend for her best example of how to get to 4 and she came up with this:

But ultimately the answer is always 4 – the destination is still 4 no matter how many ways there are to get there.

And so it is with God.  As Christians we know that we are in this world and not of it.  But in this world things happen.  Troubles come, loss comes, circumstances change.

God says in Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans of man, but my purpose will prevail.  And that is a comforting thought.  That no matter what happens in my life, His purpose will prevail.

The word prevail means to triumph, succeed or be victorious.

If we are confident that God’s purpose for us will come to pass, it means we can trust Him when the path seems to be a difficult one, or when the plans we had don’t seem to work out the way we though they would – and in this, there is great hope.

When we know our God – our magnificent, mighty, sovereign, creative God – who made man in His image and created a garden for him to live in, and a life together where we could walk in the cool of the evening – and when it didn’t seem to go according to plan, didn’t panic, or fall apart or get depressed – because He knew that He had already formed the plan of redemption of John 3:16 where it says “For God so loved the world that He gave (He provided, gifted, sacrificed) His only begotten Son, so that (purpose) whoever believes in Him should not die but have eternal life.”

God is not left floundering, or running around trying to find a solution, or trying to fix things.  God’s purpose in making mankind (relationship) had not changed, had not been interrupted – He simply had alternate plans, and a different path to achieve that purpose.

And we see this right through the Bible – story after story of people who God had created for a purpose – whose plans seemed to fall apart or fail – but God’s purpose prevailed.

1.       Leah – a young Jewish girl who longed to be married to a man whom she loved and who loved her in return.  But love didn’t come so easily for Leah.  She had a father, who instead of loving his eldest daughter and fighting for the best for her – used her to trick Jacob on his wedding night where he though he was being given her younger sister, Rachel.  Instead, he woke to find that instead of his promised bride, he had been given Leah and would have to work for another 7 years if he wanted to have Rachel, the women he loved.

Imagine for a moment, how Leah felt in this situation.  Used by her father, rejected by her husband and shamed in front of her people.  Her world must have felt like it was falling apart – I can only imagine how bereft she felt – how abandoned she would have been feeling – where those who were meant to love her had not really even considered her at all.

Plans she had made since she was a little girl of falling in love, meeting the man of her dreams (her imaginations) would take one look at her and want to spend the rest of his life with her – looked longingly at her sister instead.

She then falls pregnant and thinks “Well, finally, my husband will be pleased – I have given him a son.”  But the Bible doesn’t record a different story – it remains the same.  Jacob still loves Rachel.

The story unfolds in the naming of Leah’s sons.  Her first born, she names Reuben – “The Lord sees” and she said – the Lord has seen my humiliation; now my husband will love me; then Simeon “God has heard that I am unloved” the third one was Levi “Now my husband will be with me” and finally her fourth son is called Judah – Now I will praise my God.

God’s purpose for Leah though, still prevailed.  His intention for her, His imagination for her, His thoughts about her still accumulated in the greatest triumph any woman could have had.  For out of the lineage of Jacob and Leah was born Judah – and ultimately from this familial line, the Messiah would be born.  Leah, not Rachel – because God’s purpose prevailed despite the plans and schemes of Laban and the plans and dreams of Jacob.

Another story that illustrates this concept, if the story of Joseph.

2.       Joseph – God shares His imaginations, His intentions, His purpose for Joseph in a dream.  Often God will show us His purpose for us well ahead of time and when things happen in our life that don’t seem to go to plan, we wonder if God got it wrong.

So, Joseph has a dream, and he races out to share it with his family.  And how many times do we see this happen?  God shares His purpose – and we run to tell those around us, and they aren’t as receptive as we think they will be – it seems like they just don’t get it.

And maybe it was Joseph’s immaturity – he was only a teenager – that sparked such a reaction to his dream – that even his father couldn’t understand what was happening.

And we know the story well – his brothers (Leah’s kids) who had already been frustrated by the special treatment Rachel’s son had received, plotted to kill him.

From the pit to Potiphar’s house to prison – how many times would Joseph had had opportunity to question God’s purpose.  How many times would he have thought he had missed it – that God had abandoned him, forsaken him – how many times had his thoughts wandered, taken well worn paths and led him to dodgy conclusions?

And can’t we all relate when things seem to be working out so differently to how we thought how tempting it is to give up altogether and think – “well that’s it – what God said isn’t happening.”

But if we read through the story (and here’s a spoiler alert) we see in Genesis 50:20, the conclusion Joseph reached after so many plans and paths led him to his final destination, where the dream God had shown him as a young man came to pass was “What you meant for evil, God meant it for good – and for the saving of many souls.

And we need to grab hold if this.  Optometrists around the world would say that, ultimately, we should have 20/20 vision – but I think, as Christians, we should have 50/20 vision – to see that what the enemy means for evil – means to use to separate us from God and His purpose, God Himself will use those very things to achieve His purpose, for our good, and for the saving of many souls.

And when we go through loss, and hurt, and devastation – when we think our world is falling apart and nothing is going according to plan – Fear not – 365 times this phrase is used in the Bible – one for each day – is used in the Bible – fear not for I have overcome the world says Jesus – and God says, My purpose will prevail and I have given you the Holy Spirit to comfort you in those times when nothing makes sense.

3.       David – as a young boy God revealed His purpose for David to become king.  Another story where is seemed like an unlikely choice for God’s purpose.  With 7 older brothers – fighting men – older, stronger, more logical choices as King – God chooses a skinny little shepherd boy who wasn’t even deemed good enough to bring into the house and be presented before Samuel.  And God reveals his intended purpose for David’s life before he had killed Goliath.

And then he kills Goliath – and in such a triumphant moment might have thought – now God can make me king – but instead goes through quite a bizarre series of events being chased all around the countryside by a lunatic king trying to kill him – and we can see what Davis is thinking because he is so transparent in his Psalms – and then, in the end he becomes King and he then lived according to God’s will and purpose for his life.

But that’s not how David’s story ends.  For part of God’s purpose was to make David king, but He would use David’s biggest failure to fulfil His greatest purpose in continuing the lineage of the Messiah through the birth of Solomon.

And honestly, we could continue this journey through the Bible all day – story after story of many plans falling apart but God’s purpose prevailing.

Consider Rahab – I am sure she never dreamt of becoming a prostitute – but God’s purpose prevailed and she was also to become a part of the lineage of Christ.

Daniel must have thought his life was shattered when he was taken into exile and forced to serve a foreign king – and by the time he was thrown into the lion’s den he must have been thinking “how will this achieve God’s purpose in my life?”

And don’t forget Tamar, Ruth and Esther – Gideon hiding in the wine press from his enemies.  I feel like the author of the book of Hebrews – so many mighty men and women of faith who all persevered – who didn’t always know why things were going the way they were – but in whom God’s purpose prevailed for His Glory, for His name’s sake – so that when we consider God what we see is that love never fails.

And finally:

4.       Peter – I love the story of peter because I think he brings out the humanness of mankind better than anyone else.  He was so complex – both confident and unsure; eager and reluctant – walking on water one minute, being rebuked the next.

But imagine for a moment what it was like to see Jesus crucified – to be there when the one you had devoted your whole life to – the one who had turned your whole life upside down – who gave you your calling, your purpose – “Peter, on this rock I will build my church”, Jesus had said – where your Rabbai, your friend was now being laid down in Joseph’s tomb – at that moment, having even denied knowing Him – he must have felt like such a failure.  Why, God – why? How can it end like this – the pain of that question must have resounded in his heart over and over again.  His friends didn’t have any answers, just more questions.  And it seemed like finally God’s purpose wouldn’t prevail.

But don’t you see – don’t we get it – God’s purpose always prevails.  And three days later was the most glorious, most triumphant comeback story in the history of the world.

And so, today, here together, can I encourage you – can we encourage one another – God knows the purpose for which He created you – you might have taken many paths, made and seen fail many plans – wondered if you would ever reach your final destination – asked God “why” a million times – but, and it’s a big but – God is not finished with your story yet – His purpose will prevail.

You might not even know what that purpose is – ask Him – you might be surprised at the answer.

Instead of it being about what you do for Him – it will be about what you mean to Him.  His purpose for His creation was always about relationship – always about intimacy, connection – above everything else – He wants your heart – the rest are just outcomes of time spent together with Him.

So today – come.  Come back to the Father – come boldly into His throne room of grace – lay down your burdens, your pain, your shame, your shattered plans and give them to the one who knows His thoughts towards you – His purpose for you – for a hope and a future Jeremiah says – to prosper you and not to harm you.

He loves you.  He sees you.  He will never forsake you nor leave with you.  He is with you – right here, right now and every single moment of your life.

Today is a day for fresh revelation, for healing, for breakthrough.  Today is a day of saying “I don’t understand all that has happened or is happening – but God – not my will, but your will be done.”

2 + 2 = 4, yes – but so do many, many other equations – and sometimes our journey involves loss – maybe it’s been 6-2=4 or even disappointment, shame, guilt, regret – but God.

But God ultimately has a greater purpose – can you trust Him with it today?