Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (RSV).

As we launch out into a new year, it is good to take stock, assess and realign ourselves with our Heavenly Father and His plans for us. We could get distracted by all the issues going on in the world; the financial and political turmoil, natural disasters, issues leading the news stories every day. It is tempting to allow our mind to become – not so much focused on these things – but filled too much with them.

We need to be reminded from time to time that God our Father is still God, and that He has plans for us! He is Jehovah. Elohim. El-Shaddai! The Almighty! He is Eternal, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent! We should remember these things when we’re watching the news. God is above and superior to the issues of this world. He is beyond it in that He is bigger and more powerful and wonderful than the issues are terrible.

Yet He is also concerned with what is happening on the earth and as such He has plans for us to be in the world, (but not of it) and part of those plans for us are to make a difference. God’s plans for us are both earthly, and heavenly! This earthly life is preparing us for our Heavenly one, (See 2 Corinthians 4:17). Let’s not forget “Heaven” which is where we are headed ultimately because of the work of Jesus on the Cross. (See Brief Word #21 – September 2011).

This is the year 2012. Twelve is an interesting number. It represents completeness, perfect government, and apostolic fullness. There are many occurrences in the Bible of the number Twelve. Twelve sons of Israel – Genesis 35:22-23. Twelve wells – Exodus 15:27. Twelve stones – Exodus 39:14. Twelve oxen – 1 Kings 7:25. Twelve lions – 1 Kings 10:20. Jesus was Twelve years old in the temple – Luke 2:42. A woman with a flow of blood Twelve years – Matthew 9:20. Twelve Apostles – Matthew 10:2. Twelve baskets left over – Matthew 14:20. Twelve gates – Revelation 21:12. Twelve foundations – Revelation 21:14.

What does this mean to us today, living in the year 2012? Quite a lot! God’s government, means God’s Kingdom. And the Kingdom of God is simply the King’s Domain! God’s area of rule and influence. (Which, ultimately, is the entire universe!). Jesus spoke primarily about the Kingdom of God. Much of His teaching and parables were about it.

Luke 17:20-21 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; “nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (NKJV).

So the arena of His working is within us, in our inner world. For example the Kingdom of God’s policy of finances, relationships, health, work, and family; will be worked out from within us, first; then it will be seen by those around us.

What does THIS mean for us today? Again, quite a lot! It means three things.

Firstly: Surrender to God, His Kingdom plans and His will for us generally and specifically. The God blessed welfare, the future, and the hope we’re wanting to be part of our earthly lives, will only really come when we totally and unconditionally surrender to God and His Kingdom ways, and to His plans for us. I have a sneaking suspicion that God won’t reveal His plans for us until we’ve surrendered to them!

Secondly: Find out what His Kingdom policies are, what His general plans for the church and for His Kingdom involve. Jeremiah 29:11, our text for this Brief Word, is an encouragement included in a letter from the Prophet Jeremiah to all the captives of Israel. Sometimes we’re too concerned about the specifics of God’s plans for us when we need to be reminded about His plans for the Church.

Thirdly: Find out what His specific plans and policies are for us individually, and what His will is for us. God does have specific plans for us, He does have a specific “will” for us. His plans “for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope“, speak to us corporately and individually, for our earthly life.

Rodney Francis says, “When we know the will of God for our lives, and set about to do it, then we no longer need to waste precious time through ignorance and indecision. When we know what we are to do, then we can get on and do it. We can accomplish great things for God when we allow Him to be Lord of our lives”.

Surrendering is not easy. It is giving up control. It is trusting. It is scary. And part of the process of surrendering may also mean some repentance. But surrendering is also part of the process of discovering His will for us. We may not know everything about His plans for us, we may wonder what is aging on, and why this and that has happened or not happened. But surrendering to the Omnipotent Omniscient One, without having all the details sorted out, is real trust. Then, we find out His will for us, we discover He has good for us, a future and a hope for us.

His plans for you this year are “for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope”. He is a good God! The world desperately needs the Kingdom impact of people given over to God and demonstrating the welfare and the witness of God’s plans. May 2012 be a Kingdom year for us, when His policies lived out through you and I, make a difference to those around us.