Friday 2 November 2007

According To Plan?

It's days like today, when nothing seems to go "according to plan", that I often find myself questioning the Divine.
"Lord, why does there have to be a traffic jam on this road when I need a free thoroughfare to get to my appointment on time? And God, why did you bring this person into contact with me when You knew I was in a hurry? These things weren't part of my plan today!"

As I sat down this evening and reflected on my eventful day, I could hear Frank Sinatra's self-centred lyrics running through my mind, "I Did It My Way!" And then came the realization, this is not what life is about. It's not about me, it's all about Jesus. And didn't the traffic jam allow you the opportunity for some quality extended conversation with your wife? Wasn't it beneficial to spend a little time catching up with someone you hadn't seen in a while and leave them encouraged in their personal journey?

"Well yes it was, but..." Stop there. A life lived trusting in Jesus and His love has no regrets. Life may not always go in the direction that we had planned, but we can be certain that God will always lead us in a better, unpredicted pathway.

Ephesians 1:11 (MSG) ~ "It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone."