The prophet Jeremiah’s words are for the people to give them hope in a dark time.  He wants to assure the people that God will give them “a future with hope.”

There are portions of the Bible known as “wisdom literature.” Most of the wisdom literature is found in the Hebrew Scriptures:  most prominently in Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. 

It goes without saying that a lot of people are feeling a lot of anxiety right now. There are so many reasons to feel anxious—for yourself, your loved ones, for our community, our nation, and our world—and how we are going to get through this time. 

In Exodus 17, The Israelites have been in the wilderness for several weeks and the people don’t have enough water.  They begin to be afraid that they and their cattle will all die of thirst in the wilderness.