America's Favorite Verse

You know it.

Say it with me.

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Jeremiah 29:11

No verse has ever been as quoted as this one. We memorize it. We put it on walls and in frames. We love this verse.

Of course we do, it's all about us.

And we're pretty self-centered (see previous post on our own "awesomeness").

The thing is ... it's a great verse. But we focus on US. If we continue on to verses 12 and 13, we find an even more important message from Christ:

"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (emphasis mine)

We don't just receive. We have responsibility. We have to call on the Lord. We have to come and pray. We have to seek Him.

The next time you think of this verse, remember the role we have to play in it too.