The Plan

We just had one of the best youth nights we have had in a while. As I was preparing for this nights devotional, I really didn't look at the topic very deeply and it really didn't sink in, until we were actually holding the devotional and reading the scripture. First we had us a little war with straws and Q-tips, and we learned how even when we are working for the greater cause sometimes people inadvertently get hurt by what the military deems as "friendly fire." We saw first hand how sometimes there is a lot of hurt involved when working to full fill the greater plan.

Sometimes it is that way in our own spiritual life. God set that example early in His own family life. If you look at Matthew 16:21-22, God's own son is revealing to His disciples how He is soon to suffer greatly and even die at the hands of the people. See Jesus, or God's son, knows that this pain and suffering must be in an effort to fulfill the greater plan of God. Then Peter gets excited and tells Jesus how it just can't be, and when Peter does this Jesus doesn't lash out at Peter but to the driving force that is trying to abort God's plan in the first place......Satan...as found in verse 23. Jesus knows that if Satan were to win this battle of wills then God's plan would be aborted and our Salvation would be null and void. Similarly that can be said of our own lives when we try to say no to that which God has planned for us. And if we don't heed the warnings and tell Satan to get behind us and out of our thought process and allow ourselves to take control of our situations, similarly we can expect things to become in disarray.

Again like Peter, when we see or experience pain or suffering, we only see such a little portion of the picture and we want God to take it all away. That is a normal response, but when we get into a part where we become intent on having it our way regardless of whether we are at a Burger King or not, we sometimes end up with unwanted results. What would it have been like if Jesus would have said to Peter, you're right Peter, I can't do this? But being God in the flesh, and as God does, He sees the whole picture, so Jesus understood that it had to be. It doesn't mean Jesus didn't want to perhaps get out of going through such agony. As we know in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus whole heartedly prayed that if this cup could pass from Him, then please, please Abba, take it from Me. But what separates Jesus prayer from several of us, is Jesus follows it with that great phrase that we all MUST learn, "Not my will but thine be done."

As a result we all now have the same gift of eternal life through the pain and suffering of Jesus Christ. In allowing God's plan to come to be despite the amount of pain involved, we now have the greatest opportunity and gift available to us in all creation. Salvation!

So in the pain that you face in whatever situation you are in, know that God is the great plan maker and as Paul tells us in Romans chapter 8, because of this great God we have the assurance that we will be more than conquerors. Our battles are His battles and if we allow Him to have His way we are sure to be victorious!

This one is dedicated to my friend Chief! We love you Chief, and God is with you and will be protecting you!

In Him,
Pastor Wayne