Delighting to Come Through – Jeremiah 32:40-41

“I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them.
And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.
I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness,
with all my heart and all my soul.”
Jeremiah 32:40-41

A devotion I read this morning, drawing from Joshua 10:9-15, focused on the phrase “But God.” A situation appears impossible, but God intervenes. Things look hopeless, but God steps in.

This focus is very applicable for me in more than one current circumstance, so I want to spend a few moments settling its truth into my heart.

“But God.”

This is how our God loves to write stories. We can see that throughout Scripture. So many accounts of a situation that looked entirely impossible, an enemy that was so much bigger or more powerful, but God’s people turn to Him and He comes through and defeats the enemy without question. This, of course, includes His salvation of us. “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world…and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:1-5).

Both in our salvation and in countless circumstances as we follow Him in faith and obedience, our God loves to write our stories in such a way that His work and faithfulness are obvious. Shining the light of His glory as He comes through powerfully for His people, for this one beloved child whom He has declared is His. As He delights to come through for them.

A devotion by John Piper yesterday (found here) touched on this. That our God is not begrudging in His provision and care for His people. He delights in this.

We can see that truth conveyed in God’s words in Jeremiah 32:41:
“I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.”

Our God rejoices in doing us good. We can trust Him here, even if “here” looks overwhelming or dark or impossible. We can trust Him, because He is the God who sees us, the God who hears us, the God who has made us His own and has committed Himself to our salvation and deliverance and care. We can rest, knowing our God will come through, in power and glory and love and perfection. We will see His goodness and our spiritual enemies will know His unceasing love for us, because He will not fail. We know all of this because He has promised it.

What it will look like, how our stories will each play out to showcase His faithfulness, we don’t know yet. But we will not be ashamed, because the Lord is our God and He is victorious and faithful. He will be glorified and we will be made more like Christ, bringing us fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore at His right hand.