Are you a planner? Some people are, some people aren't! I tend to be a planner. Part of that is a function of my job as a youth minister: planning big events like the 30 Hour Famine or a weekend retreat, planning a Wednesday night Bible study or an EYC lesson, planning who I've missed seeing at EYC lately and want to check in on, planning how to find time to clean my house, do laundry, pack, and hang with my kiddos before heading out of town for the Winter Retreat, and so much more require lots of planning! I like to know what's happening, how it's going to (in theory) happen, when and where it's going to happen, and more! And when they are my plans ... I tend to fall in love with them and, for sure, have a hard time thinking they're not good! :)
That's not to say my plans (that I've been so in love with) haven't failed ...oh boy, have they! Sometimes they are little tiny fails that no one would really notices except for me ... like the time we planned a program using a black light and it went nothing like our team had planned. No one knew except for us and it turned out ok, just not at all what we had anticipated! And, sometimes the failing of plans are way more noticeable: like yesterday when I only printed 20 copies of my presentation on social media safety but had about 50 or 60 people attend the session. :)
We love our plans. We create them. They are good.
Joseph had plans. We've heard this story over the past few weeks, it being Christmas! Scripture tells us that Joseph had planned to quietly dismiss Mary when he found out she was pregnant. His mind was made up and he was ready to move forward. But what happened? An angel appears and tells him to change his plans! And we know, Joseph is obedient.
The wise men had plans! They had been instructed by Herod to go find the baby Jesus and return and tell him where He was to be found. The wise men agreed and proceeded with the plan. But what happened? They had a dream in which God told them to return home another way and not go to Herod. The wise men were obedient.
I had plans! The past four years working with Matt have been tremendous. I had no long-term plan of that changing. And, it was good!
You had plans in terms of the time you (and by you, I mean your kids) spend with Matt and how thankful you are for his leadership of youth ministry at SJE and wisdom.
To participate FULLY in God's purpose, sometimes we have to weak/change/re-direct our plans ... those plans we love so dearly and that are so good. Sometimes God swoops in to us just like Joseph and just like the wise men and changes our plans. We know from the story or Joseph and the wise men that it, too, will be worth it for us.
It seems to me that the most profound and impactful moments in our lives don't happen in an instance. Rather, God's plan and purpose for us is revealed over time. However, when we are in the midst of those instances and moments (especially when it involves a big change) it certainly doesn't feel that way. Changes can be tough to swallow because we don't necessarily like them, scary because we fear the unknown, or inconvenient because it wasn't the way we planned.
But to participate fully in God's plan, we must be obedient to God's purpose and plan. Some time months AND years from now, we will be able to look back on all of the moments and instances and piece God's plan together more fully! We'll be able to have a clear understanding of how one moment led to another moment that lead to another opportunity that led to another change that led to another instance. God's plan is good, it will all make sense, and the blessings will continue to be tremendous. I'm excited to obediently lead and guide us, through the Holy Spirit, down this particular path and am excited to watch Matt on his new path, too! Amen?
