Best Laid Plans, and all that!

       It all should have worked like clockwork.  7:45am, leave for bus stop, 8:00am drive to church, work on problem in library, 8:30ish start on project there and get home by 9:30 so I could get my blog post done at a reasonable time.  Instead, Nate got up late and we had to go to his alternate bus stop.  Then the traffic was annoying though I still managed to get to the church at a reasonable time.  The computer files didn’t align with the problem I was working on.  Three other problems needed to be resolved in the meantime.  Something went wonky with the telephone which required a check from tech support.

       As I went through stacks of books trying to input specific information, some of the books lacked barcodes, and a few weren’t even in the system- more things to fix.  By the time I got done everything I needed to do and left, it was almost noon, and since I didn’t get breakfast due to late timing, I ate just before I sat down here at the computer.  Now I’m wondering how often our plans ever go through flawlessly.  My best guess is- never.

There are many purposes* in a man's heart, but the counsel of Jehovah shall stand.  Pr. 19:21 MKJV

A man's heart plans his way, but Jehovah directs his steps.  Pr. 16:9 MKJV

Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts* shall be established.  Pr. 16:3

The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices* of the people of none effect.  Ps. 33:10

       Sure we can plan, but that doesn’t mean our plans will work out the way we want.  Man, whose days are like vapor (Jm. 4:14) can’t really determine if his plans will work out- or not.  The truth is we don’t even know if we will be here tomorrow or not.  God is not like us in this way though: He was in the beginning (Rev. 1:8), there is nothing hidden from Him (Heb. 4:13) and He knows all, even our minds and hearts (Rev. 2:23).  Though we cannot guarantee anything, the Lord can, for His counsel WILL stand.  That is why we should bring our plans to Him, because He knows!  And the Lord can make plans fall apart if He wants to.

 

       We make our plans believing them to be right, often without even consulting the Lord.  “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; But Jehovah weigheth the spirits.” (Pr. 16:2)  Some of us even try to hide our plans of sin from Jehovah (Is. 29:15) like He won’t see them (just a little gossip after all).  Not only will He see them, but He will see our motives behind them and they will ultimately be exposed (1Cor. 4:5).

       Anyway, after this morning, I think I’ll try a new tactic.  Perhaps I’ll sit down with the Lord every evening and talk to Him about tomorrow, see if He wants any input before I make plans.  Then I’ll ask Him to check the plans over for any adjustments He may want.  Maybe if I do that first, I won’t find my plans falling apart by so many unexpected things. 

Ah, the best laid plans…

*H4284- contrivance: plans, plots, devices, intentions

Sitting Here…

       It’s one of those days where I sit here looking at a blank screen thinking of many different things I could write about, but none of them appeal.  So, this morning I just want to remind all of us of a few things.

God is thinking of us.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.  Ps. 139:17,18 MKJV  

He loves us even though we are sinners.

But God commendeth (introduced, exhibited) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Rom. 5:8

But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us (even when we were dead in sins)…  Eph. 2:4,5

Our salvation is His joy.

(Jesus) …who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne of God.  Heb. 12:2 MKJV

He gave His life for our salvation and to live with us.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  Gal. 2:20

He did it all because He loves us.

In this the love of God was revealed in us, because God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (reparation) concerning our sins.  1Jh. 4:9,10 MKJV

Emmanuel means God with us (Mt. 1:23).

He’s here, with each of us right now.

What would you like to say to Him?

Come on... say it!

Unwed Pregnancy

        Maria was fourteen and pregnant. Not a good place to be even if she was engaged to a wonderful man. Her parents would never understand, but she'd have to tell them, after all, she would be showing soon enough. They would probably be angry since she wasn't even supposed to be having sexual relations, and, well, that's how babies were made. Maria walked solemnly into the room where her parents were and sat down quietly beside them watching while mother worked on her needlepoint.

        Father was discussing a friend and his construction business in town while mother asked appropriate questions to learn more. Maria pondered what her neighbours would think of her condition, what they would say to her parents, how they would treat the family once they knew. Would they understand or would they consider her to be a tainted woman of poor morals? Maria hoped the fall out would be on her and not her parents who did nothing wrong. What did it matter. No one would believe her. Would her parents?

  *     *     *     *     *

Reading Luke 1:26-56 made me think about the beginning of Emmanuel (Mt. 1:23)- God with us, which all started with an angel speaking to a common girl, and the power of God overshadowing her to become pregnant with Jesus. Is it possible some of the speculation above really happened?

        I can't imagine what it would have been like for Mary to face her parents with the fact she was pregnant, and oh, not by a man, but by God Himself. Though the Jews long believed that the Savior would come to a virgin, so many years had gone by that it must have become only a distant, rare consideration. Did Mary's parents believe it was God, or did they think it was a lapse in judgment? Did they worry about what the neighbours would think or perhaps they would rather have the inaccurate belief Joseph and Mary were at fault as opposed to any claims that their daughter was bearing the Messiah?

        Joseph, Mary, and both their families were thrust into the spotlight of the community and though the Scriptures do not indicate much about the reaction of the townspeople, we know that they would have had typical human responses- just like we would have. But God in His wisdom chose correctly based on their love for Him, their character- values, and their strength to endure through parenting Emmanuel. That would be some task; I imagine there may have been a lot of second guessing?

        Mary submitted to God's plan (Lk. 1:38), extolled her Savior (v.47) and Joseph obeyed the Lord (Mt. 1:24). Together, they helped raise Jesus who would “...save his people from their sins.” (Mt. 1:21) And two thousand years later we are still reaping the benefits of the Savior, miraculously born to common parents, who was no ordinary boy, but God in the flesh...

 

dwelling among us.

 

Halleluiah!