I. God shows Himself to be the only One worthy of our trust by rearranging nations according to His will.

Jer 27:4 Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel: 5 'I have made the earth, and man...by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and have given it to whom it seemed proper to Me. 6 And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant; and the beasts of the field I have also given him to serve him. 7 So all nations shall serve him, his son, his son's son, until the time of his land comes; and then many nations and great kings shall make him serve them Ch 50=51  Cf Jer 42:10 Relents when we repent.

II. Trusting God by putting His word at the core of our values and decisions build our relationship with Him. 

Jer 31:30 But every one shall die for his own iniquity; 31 "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."  36 " If those ordinances (sun/moon) depart from before Me, says the LORD, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever." 37 If heaven can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, says the LORD. 38 "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, that the city shall be built for the LORD from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate...

 Ex 15:26 If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am Yahweh who heals you

Spirit Isa 49:20 "The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," Says Yahweh. 21 "As for Me, this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says Yahweh, "from this time and forevermore."

Dt.6:5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 and these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them, talk of them when you sit, walk by the way, lie down, rise up.
 Pr 7:1 keep my words, treasure my commands within you 2 and live 3 Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart

Heb 8:10 this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 10:16 put my laws into their hearts, in their minds I will write them
 2Cor 3:3  you are an epistle of Christ, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not stone but on tablets of flesh/heart. 

III. We deepen our relationship with God by asking and trusting Him to give what's best when it's best Ps 84:11

Jer 32:27 "Behold, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? Gen 18:14 Is anything too hard for Yahweh? 
 Jer 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and show/tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'"
 1Cor 2:9  Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor entered the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.  Isa 64:4

IV. Seeking the God who has revealed Himself in Scripture gives hope

(hesed, merciful, faithful, good, disciplines, just)
 Lam 3:17 You have moved my soul far from peace; I have forgotten prosperity. 21 This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. 22 Through Yahweh's hesed/loyal covenantal love we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 24 The LORD is my portion, says my soul, Therefore I hope in Him! 25 Yahweh is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. 26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of Yahweh.
 31 For the Lord will not cast off forever. 32 Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. 33 For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.
 39 Why should a living man complain, for the punishment of his sins? 40 Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the LORD; 41 Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven. 42 We have transgressed and rebelled; You have not pardoned. 43 You have covered Yourself with anger and pursued us; You have slain and not pitied. 55 I called on Your name, O LORD, from the lowest pit. 56 You have heard my voice: " Do not hide Your ear From my sighing, from my cry for help."57 You drew near on the day I called on You, and said, "Do not fear!" 58 O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

 
1.  How do God's sovereign purpose and plans affect your purposes, plans, and daily agenda. How should they influence what you do?
 
2. How did the OT saints have God's word written on their hearts? What role does the Spirit play in the obedience of NT saints? Rm 8:13-14
 
3. If we call and God doesn't answer, or doesn't show/tell us great things, what should we do?
 
4. How does someone suffering for their own stupidity have hope? What's are the relationships between fear, repentance, trust and hope?
 
5. What could you do to deepen your relationship with God in the upcoming months? How do you write God's word on your heart?