The Plan

            A couple days ago I referred to God having a plan. Do you ever question that he has a plan for you? I encourage you to consider who Jesus selected as his disciples.

            Take a look at the men Jesus chose as his disciples; fishermen, tradesmen, a tax collector? Although fairly respectable they were not well educated, but the 12 disciples shared their faith with all the known world at that time. Ordinary people, like you and me, & changed the world (without the internet!)

            I just completed a study of the book of John, one of the gospels of the New Testament. John has a different way of telling about Jesus’ ministry than the other gospels do. One of the things that hit home with me is the contrast between John and Peter. John comes across as a calm, observant and reserved man. Peter, however, was impulsive, enthusiastic and quick to speak. As I read about Jesus meeting the disciples on the shore of Galilee after his resurrection, I kept thinking of Peter as being similar to Forrest Gump when he spots Lieutenant Dan on the pier and jumps into the water leaving his boat to sail into the dock by itself. Once Peter realizes it is Jesus on the shore, he jumps into the water to go greet him. Jesus chose Peter to be the rock of his church, the name Peter means rock. (Peter’s given name was Simon.) As dissimilar as these two men were; God had big plans for each of them.

            The thing is, each of the people that God chose for big plans had nothing to do with the individual (hard on the ego) it had to do with God equipping them. He provided all they needed to succeed. He continues to provide all we need to fulfill his plan. It often seems like He doesn’t know we exist, things don’t go according to our plans. That is the mistake we make, Peter made mistakes too in his impulsiveness. Peter didn’t think crucifixion was part of God’s plan, after Jesus tells Peter the plan, Peter says Never! But he is corrected in Matthew 16:23 “Jesus turned to Peter and said ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, merely human concerns.”  Just three verses before this interaction is when Jesus declared that Peter would be the rock on which he built his church! In his love and enthusiasm Peter continued to mess up and Jesus continued to teach and forgive. God's plan is for us to really know him, to spend time with him and to love him.

            There are so many instances in scripture where people are placed in difficult situations and they felt God had deserted them. Yet, they always found the purpose and gave God the glory. As God’s children, we are to give him glory, no matter who we are or what we do.

            Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”