Missing our place in the Plan

            As we approach Christmas I am amazed at the extent to which God went to reach his broken people.  He held nothing back; he touched down to earth those 2000+ years ago to provide hope.  This was His big event; the fix for all of lives sufferings, maybe not in the immediate but for certain in the eternal.  Because God set His big plan into action we live in hope and celebration, that is our focus at this time of year.

            God has gone so far to make sure He is not a secret, He came to earth, and He shared his good news.  But not only that He made sure it was all written down for us and we can pick up his Bible and get to know him better each day.  He also designed His Church so we would have the opportunity to connect and be fed together, and to use our gifts to minister to each other.

            But as we read God’s word we have to realize even with all that God has done to let us know about him we still need to respond.  I was thinking about the story of Deborah, a Judge in the Old Testament (Judges 4-5).  She would really be an insignificant Judge if not for the fact that she shared God’s message with Barak and he would only move forward on his conditions.  If you remember the story Barak was suppose to deliver the Jewish people from Sisera.  God had the plan and the place, but Barak did not want to it God’s way.  He set his own plan in place of God’s.  Although he moved forward he missed out in providing the deliverance of Israel.  In the end a women, some milk, and a tent spike ended Sisera’s life. 

            I am shocked by how many times my conditions get it the way of what God is doing.  We have our time frame and our plan.  But God often has the right plan and at the right time, we can either choose to respond or miss the opportunity.  The good news is, God will still accomplish his plan, and the bad news is we may not have the blessing of seeing it through.  How would you like to be in the Bible like Barak, a person who got their place in scripture for being stubborn and missing out!

            This time of year is a reminder that God is trying so hard to get our attention.  We need to let his passion for us, build our passion for him, and fuel his plans for us.