‘Afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted,
    I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,
    your foundations with lapis lazuli.
12 I will make your battlements of rubies,
    your gates of sparkling jewels,
    and all your walls of precious stones.

There’s a little booklet called ‘The 4 spiritual laws’. It is a simple tool for sharing the gospel. The first of these goes: ‘God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.’ But I remember reading an article in a ‘Campus Crusade’ magazine in which a girl called Ruth wrote, ‘God loves me and has a wonderful plan for my life. So why do I so often act like He made a big mistake when He made me?’

It’s not the plans we have for ourselves, but God’s plans for us that matter.

PRAYER: Lord God, please will you rebuild my broken down life, and make me all you want me to be. Beautify my life so that I shine for you.