Better Days Ahead

Have you ever been reading the Bible when all of a sudden a verse was speaking directly to the situation you were facing in that given moment?

That is what happened to the prophet Daniel. He didn’t have the Bible like we have today, but he did have something of great value. He had a scroll of the prophet Jeremiah.

And as he was reading through it, Daniel realized that the prophecy Jeremiah gave was happening in real time—in Daniel’s lifetime. This impacted him, and he experienced a personal revival.

At this time the Jewish people were living as captives in Babylon. Jeremiah and other prophets had warned Israel to turn from their rampant idolatry or judgment would come upon them.

But the people ignored it. And finally, that judgment came.

I’m sure that as Daniel read through Jeremiah, he came to this very familiar passage where the Lord said, “After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place” (Jeremiah 29:10 NKJV).

Then God said, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, . . . thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (verse 11 NKJV).

Recognize that last verse? In principle it applies to us today. Maybe you’re in a Babylon of sorts right now. Life isn’t going the way you hoped it would. And you don’t know if it ever will improve.

I’m certain of this: Better days are ahead for you. Ultimately God will work out whatever you’re going through, for your good and for His glory. The better days ahead that I’m certain of are the days of Heaven, when we’ll be in the presence of the Lord.