We find a beautiful promise to Israel in Jeremiah 29:10–14. Many of us appreciate verse 11: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” We do well to appropriate these beautiful words by faith for our own encouragement, because God is ever the same. Even when God had strong words to say to His people because of their unfaithfulness, He nevertheless said, “For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob” (Mal. 3:6). He is indeed ever the same and faithful to His promises.

This promise in Jeremiah was historically accomplished for Israel when the people were called to return to Jerusalem after seventy years of exile in Babylon. God faithfully did exactly what He said.

What about us? “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:31–32).

Has not our Lord Jesus said to His disciples nearly two thousand years ago, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (Jn. 14:2–3)? For us it will be to finally go into “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,” with its “innumerable company of angels” (Heb. 12:22), and experience “the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). What a prospect to be forever in the very presence of Him whose “presence is fullness of joy” and in whose “right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11)!