Follow the Plan +

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.
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

Yeah, I know I've used that particular Scripture too many times to count. But I figure if God puts it in my face to remind me, then maybe you are in need of the reminder, too. We don't always understand His plan, and I don't know about you, but when I don't understand something, I need to keep going back to it until I do.

In the old TV series, "The A Team," Hannibal always closed the episode with, I love it when a plan comes together. Sometimes, you just couldn't tell if it was going to happen. There were so many variables. For instance, BA - just by being himself - could really throw some monkey wrenches into the works - not to mention Murdock... oh, my word! It was a wonder the plan ever came together. Some of the tactics they used were unbelievable. Half the time, one didn't know what the other was doing. How in the world did they make it work? Well, yes, they had writers...it was TV - back before reality TV.

God has a plan. He's had it from the beginning and He's working it every day. And He had writers, too, and they wrote it down for us. And He knows He has some serious variables...for instance, me... or you. (I'm sure you've never had a bad attitude like BA or been driven crazy by people, places or things like Murdock, right?)  At any rate, that's irrelevant. The Truth is the Father's plan is the only plan that works for our eternal good.

I know you wanna tell me, "Yeah, but this is real life." That's right, it is and God gave us this real life - with real struggles and real trials and hard times and unknowns. And He gave us this real life with the ability to breathe and to think and to reason and to choose His Plan - the one that includes salvation and redemption.

You see, we don't have to know how the whole thing works, we just have to know Him. And we know it will work, because of who He is...as long as we follow the plan. And we just need to do our part of it, not anyone else's and certainly, not God's part. We only need to do what He's given us to do. That's all. Don't worry about what BA and Murdock are doing...you do your part. God will do His. And it will all come out right in the end and He will say, "Well done..."

And we will love it - and celebrate - when the plan comes together.

Prayer:

Father,
         Help us to focus on what is in front of us to do, while keeping our eyes on You. One day at a time. One part at a time. One foot placed in the print You've left in front of us as You go before us and make the crooked way straight. We won't look to the right or left. We won't be distracted by those things that are happening that don't look like part of the plan. We will follow Your plan, Father, and we're grateful for it. Help us to understand and adhere to the instructions You've given us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen