Hello, welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. The reading for today titled

He Hears Us was written by Con Campbell. United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt often endured

long receiving lines at the White House.

As the story is told, he complained that no one paid attention to what was said.

So, he decided to experiment at a reception.

To everyone who passed down the line and shook his hand, he said,

I murdered my grandmother this morning. The guests responded with phrases like,

Marvelous, keep up the good work. God bless you, sir. It wasn't until the end of the line,

greeting the ambassador from Bolivia that his words were actually heard.

Nonplussed, the ambassador whispered, I'm sure she had it coming.

Do you ever wonder if people are really listening? Or worse, do you fear that God isn't listening?

We can tell if people are listening based on their responses or eye contact,

but how do we know if God is listening?

Should we rely on feelings or see if God answers our prayers?

In the book of Jeremiah, after 70 years of exile in Babylon, God promised to bring his

people back to Jerusalem and secure their future. When they called upon him, he heard them.

They knew that God heard their prayers because he promised to listen. And the same is true for us.

We don't need to rely on feelings or wait for a sign to know that God listens to us.

He's promised to listen, and he always keeps his promises.

Now let's hear the promises of God's word found in the Old Testament book of Jeremiah 29 verses 10 through 14. This is what the Lord says. When 70 years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my

good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the

Lord, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come

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