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Archive for the tag “God’s plan”

18 Nov 2015

Right Now

Last Saturday, my friend and I sat chatting about our current job situations. She made this comment: you need to be content where you are before the next thing will come. My friend had gone through a layoff situation and gained new understanding about contentment. Enjoy the moment; relax even while facing the fear of the unknown. I had my own desert season to gain understanding. As I was contemplating these things, I realized I haven’t relaxed and enjoyed the moments. I get frustrated more times than not when I contemplate the future. My financial picture is not matching my future spending habits. And I don’t know how things are going to come together – God’s plan and my future well-being. I realized I am not as content as I thought I was.

Beth Moore recently spoke on “Wednesdays in the Word” (Life Today.org) about the “God who sees.” Beth spoke about Hagar and two questions God asked of her. “Where have you come from?” and “Where are you going?” We are usually caught in the “right now” between these two questions. I tend to get frustrated in the right now because I want to know the answer of the where I’m going. I want the vision that God has for me. I want to know that the right now moments will come together even when I can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. I want to know that I am not stuck in the right now – there’s a plan to move me to the future “going.” I would like to rush ahead to the fulfillment of the plan without going through the prep work.

God gave Abraham a promise that took years to fulfill. The promise was not given with the timeline. However, when things didn’t come together on Abraham’s time schedule, Sarah and Abraham made other arrangements. The couple decided Sarah was too old. They thought since the child didn’t happen right away, then God must have left out a few instructions so they needed to improvise to help God out. Note to self: our plans are not the best plans.

The promise must have included another party, and Hagar (Sarah’s maidservant) seemed to be the obvious choice. Hagar had Abraham’s son Ishmael. Jealousy arose in Abraham’s camp and words were said. Hagar took off to parts unknown. Hagar wasn’t privy to the promise God made to Abraham. God promised Abraham He would make Abraham into many nations and kings will come through his line of descendants. Sarah’s son, Isaac, was the blessing of the promise (covenant). But Ishmael would also receive a blessing – “he would be fruitful and will greatly increase his number. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation” (Genesis 17:20). God always fulfills His promises. But it is always done His way and not ours.

After a disagreement with Sarah, Hagar took her son and left the camp. God found Hagar in distress. She was in the midst of her right now moment when the future looked very bleak. God came to Hagar and revealed part of the plan. God instructed Hagar to go back to where you came from and wait. Wait for the fulfillment of the plan.

Drats. We’re supposed to wait for God’s timing and not ours. We have to surrender and wait. Be content in the right now. There’s always a reason in the wait time – the moments in between. God has to do the preparation in us and in His ultimate plan. The landscape needs to be arranged for the fulfillment to move God’s plan forward.

Hagar encountered the God who sees. Hagar was sent back to receive the blessing. The blessing is in the “right now” moment. God opened Hagar’s eyes a second time when she came to another desert place. God gave her a well to quench her thirst and reminded her of the promise to make her son into a great nation.

We all have a dry, desert place in our lives where the promises seem to be a long way off. God always sees where we are and knows where we are going. He knows we grow impatient in the waiting time. But if we surrender, be content while we wait; we will see God’s provision at His appointed time. Contentment truly is the way to the richer blessings of tomorrow even if we don’t see how it will come right now. Abraham is our example of God’s faithfulness. Right now, God is in the preparation phase and He is faithful to complete the work He started. It’s a guarantee!

By faith Abraham, even though he was past age – and Sarah herself was barren – was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. Hebrews 11:11-12

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15 May 2013

And Peter

When I was in grade school, my church had an Easter play. I don’t remember much of it, but I do remember I played Peter’s part. Strange I know. I don’t know if I was assigned the role or I asked for it. I thought Peter was the best disciple. He was always right in the thick of things when it came to Jesus. He followed Jesus with his whole heart. He even got out of the boat as the storm was brewing to walk toward Jesus (Matthew 14). He had great faith or more so than all the others sitting in that boat. Jesus changed Peter’s name from Simon because Jesus was going to use him to build the church. Jesus said he was changing his name to Peter which means “the rock.” So naturally, I wanted to be Peter!

At my naivety, I don’t think I realized who Peter really was; his true nature. He was a man of action for sure. But he was a denier of Jesus. He did not have the concerns of God in mind. He thought he knew better what Jesus needed or wanted (Matthew 16-17). Peter was rebuked by Jesus probably more times than what is written in Scriptures. Yet, when Jesus rose again, the angels sent Mary Magdalene and the other women to the disciples and Peter (Mark 16:7). Jesus sought him out when Peter went back to fishing after Jesus had risen from the grave (John 21).

Peter was in a hard place. He was waiting on something to happen, but he just didn’t fully grasp the things of God. Jesus came to him while Peter was out fishing. Jesus waited for him to come ashore. And three times, Jesus asked Peter for his devotion. “Do you love me, Peter?” Peter answered you know all things, you know I love you. Jesus wanted Peter to know himself. Peter was probably wondering how all of it could have gone so wrong. Yet, Jesus wanted to reinstate Peter’s calling. Jesus asked Peter to “feed my sheep.”

Maybe I am more like Peter than I truly realize. So long I have been questioning my love and devotion to Jesus. I am waiting on something to happen but have no clue as to what God’s plan truly is for my life. I guess all I really need to be doing is the same that Peter was called to do – take care of His sheep. Yeah, Peter fell hard. So have I. Peter rushed ahead of God. So have I. Peter didn’t have the things of God in mind. Me either. I am not lost to God’s plan though. He has something amazing for me too. Not that I will be a rock for the church, but whatever my calling God has a place for me too. Me and Peter – maybe we’re like two peas in a pod after all. And maybe I will be as bold one day too.

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Matthew 16:15-18

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