Advent: His Plan vs My Plans
So…I asked for a way to give order to my days, and attempted to make a to-do list that matched my calendar slots. I made a plan.
I asked for instruction in what to celebrate in preparation for Christmas. He said, “My plan.”
So, I set up the manger and borrowed a Lego platform, intending to construct a piece-by-piece symbol of God’s magnificent plan. Then life happened.
Monday’s to-do list that included laundry, grocery shopping, and a window or two was swept away by His prompting to take loaves of homemade bread to the neighbors in celebration of the18th anniversary of moving into our neighborhood. This resulted in five important conversations, two introductions and one spontaneous prayer opportunity…but no bedding, windows or groceries.
Tuesday’s tutoring went mostly as planned, but from there on, no gardening, sewing or scheduled prayer-counseling appointments happened. A daughter-in-law had come down with something and needed Oma to care for the little one. A blessing, indeed, but still no groceries.
Wednesday did manage to include the scheduled prayer-counseling appointment in the early morning and helping lead worship for the student ministry in the evening, but in between, care was needed for both Mama and baby. What else are grandparents around for, if not for this? No writing of blogpost and no groceries…
Thursday…yeah…so I was supposed to take a member of my household to the hospital for a procedure; I didn’t write it on the calendar or put it into my phone and instead planned to feed my soul with the company of a friend at a prayer garden; there was supposed to be a post published, two grandchildren picked up from school, household member retrieved from the hospital, and five extra people for dinner. (They are without a kitchen.) Somehow, in all this, everything got done including groceries…except for the post!
What do I want to do when the most important part of my to-do list seems to be offering it to God for Him to direct, confirm or blow to smithereens? Offer it up! Whole burnt offering or living sacrifice, either way.
What do I want to do when it’s time to surrender my understanding of the plan and go an entirely different direction? Surrender!
All God’s plans come to fruition. Period.
My plans? Not so much.
It’s not a bad thing to have them, especially when they are consistent with His heart; it’s only a bad thing to cling stubbornly to my understanding of them, instead of clinging steadfastly to Him… no matter what the plan works out to be.
So, because He has the plans that come to pass and I don’t, I am
Following Jesus every day in the everyday,
Christi
P.S. How are you preparing to celebrate Him?
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