Path and Plan

One of my favorite songs is When I think About the Lord by Starla Harbin.  I first heard Starla at First Baptist Church Atlanta and I am fairly certain I was pregnant with David, so maybe 2003-2004. She sang several songs, but I so deeply loved that one...I remember giving her a standing ovation after she sang it, it was just that amazing. 

So when I think about the Lord I often get lost in all that He has done for me - and to think there are probably a ton of things He has spared me from that I don't even realize. And then the other times I think....ummm, Lord....have you forgotten me? us? those people? Why is this circumstance happening?  Where are you in the middle of chaos? 

The Lord is everywhere and he knows everything. He isn't surprised in the slightest bit when tragedy strikes. He doesn't sleep, so He is fully aware of all the goings on. He knows you and He knows your heart. He is God. He also allows things in your life to draw you close to Him. He wants and desires us to turn to Him in all things and He is about His glory. 

Love this verse:

Isaiah 42:8 (NASB)

“I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images."

HE IS THE LORD. It's His name - psst...that means it's not YOUR NAME. It's HIS NAME! He will not give His glory to another nor His praise to idols. He can't be Lord of your life if you don't ever acknowledge that He is there actively working in your life. He wants the best for you because He loves you. He is after the most glory in your life too! Have you figured out that your best and His best are sometimes different? YEAH? Me too.

That's why I love Jesus. 
Jesus knew before the foundation of the world what the plan was because He is fully God. When He left heaven and came to earth, He knew the plan set before Him. He knew that the road He traveled on was day by day getting closer to the cross. The night He was betrayed He asked the Father to "remove this cup from Him" - to take this next step away, if there was any other way - but ultimately He said: 
Thy Will Be Done. 
Your will, Lord. 
Your way, Father. 
Jesus knew the blood sacrifice had to be made so that every person could have access to the Father - GOD - any time. 
Jesus also knew that He would rise again after 3 days - the resurrection would be the greatest story ever told. Redemption comes and any one willing to admit they are a sinner gets LIFE! Life abundant! Life Full! Eternal Life! 

A few weeks ago I was sitting in a sermon where we were looking at the early church and how it started. When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, and Peter was explaining to the people in Jerusalem of what Joel said in the Old Testament, he proclaimed to them this:

verse 22: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.

and then my favorite:

verse 24: BUT GOD raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

I had read these verses numerous times before, but as our pastor was explaining, it was so clear even more that it was God's deliberate plan to have Jesus go to the cross, but the part that struck me even more was the part where Peter called out the people - you, with the help of wicked men - put him to death. See, there was still actions by wicked people, and those actions involved betrayal, disappointment, and bad choices (all sin). Those people did what they pleased, what they wanted, what they thought up, and God took those decisions and made good out of them. 
That's what HE DOES!!! 
He takes the mess and makes it beautiful. 

Just another reminder that the path and plan are not our own - their HIS! He allows the messy in our lives - either by our own bringing of it, or by the enemy's scheme - and He makes something beautiful out of it. When you lean in during the hard times, particularly in other people's lives, you get to walk through the messy with them, but you also get to enjoy the beauty afterwards - a perfect picture of community.

Lord, thank you for loving me enough to refine me by the fire - when it's raging hot I know you are molding and making me to reflect your love and grace. May I say that I don't like it? It doesn't hurt your feelings, right? If I say I want to be more like you, then I don't want to back down from whatever you have in my path. Your plans have never failed me (us) yet.

Love,
Karen