Biblical Humor: "I Plan..."

Scripture: But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. Romans 15:23-25

Observation: Paul never went to Spain, and he didn't really "visit" the church in Rome. He would instead be arrested while in Jerusalem, and eventually be taken to Rome as a prisoner in chains to be tried and executed.

Paul learned this simple fact - God does the planning in our lives. Paul usually allowed that, and often told others that even his plans were subject to God's final decisions. However, this time he didn't ... we wanted to go to Rome, and so he had a plan to so while going to Spain. The entire letter or Romans was effectively to introduce himself to the church in Rome and prepare for that.

God used Paul's plan to create one of the greatest treatise on the proper Christian life in history, and God took Paul to Rome. But the plan that unfolded was God's plans, not Paul's.

Application: I am - literally - a professional planner. Everything I do amounts to planning ... strategy, operational changes, projects, task lists. I oversee two dozen others whose job it is to plan, and I correct and train them on how to do it better. I am blessed with the spiritual gift of administration, so my service usually involves planning. I even enjoy planning so much that I am often taking care of vacation plans 12-18 months in advance (and my wife hates that!). It's what I do, and by both training and gifting I am really, really good at it.

And God laughs.

When I plan, I need to likewise be open to God's plan. When I try to sort out my days, I need to be open to God's interruptions. When I organize my weekends, I must listen to God's changes. That is NOT to say I shouldn't plan, but then I need to allow room for - and in fact expect - God to use my plan to work into his purpose.

That is how a faithful plan benefits God. It isn't that the plan doesn't exist, it's that it is made then laid before God to be used by him.

Prayer: Lord, I plan to change my weekly routine. I plan to seek new ways to serve you by day in the downtown Seattle area, and I plan to seek new ways to testify about you here at work. Those plans I lay before you now. Take them, correct them, and make them yours. Amen.