Skip to main content

Plans and Water-Walking

                 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

          “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. (Matthew 14:29)

          Jeremiah 29:11 was the verse on Biblegateway.com this morning. I’ve written about it often, but it connects nicely with other verses that have come to mind over the past couple of days. If you read my Monday comment, you may have noticed. I ‘ve been busy doing things I want to do and that I have thought I was supposed to do, but it’s as if I suddenly looked up and didn’t recognize my surroundings. Where am I? Am I on the right road(s)? Have I made gods of gardening and writing? Or am I building ministries? Am I walking in His will, or am I insisting that He walk in mine? I want His will and my will to be the same, but how do I make sure His has priority? Am I allowed (or supposed) to find joy in my mission(s)?

          And as I struggle with those questions, I know some people are struggling with the sense that their mission has ended, and they don’t know what to do. Still others are looking at all the options they face and wonder how to choose wisely.

          And my thoughts go back to “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are, now.” That may require getting out of the boat and walking on water. And if we sink, God will rescue us.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Virgin?

           Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)           This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)           But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”            “How will this be,” Mary asked the...

Higher Thoughts

  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the  Lord . “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)           The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,   for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord      so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:15-16) If you read about the ancient gods of the various peoples, you’ll find that they think just like people. In fact, they think just like the sort of people we really wouldn’t want to be around. They think like the most corrupt Hollywood producer or, like hormone overloaded teens with no upbringing.   It’s embarrassing to read. I have a friend who argues that because God is not just like us, He is so vastly dif...

Saved?

  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” (Matthew 7:21-23) Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” (Romans 3:4)   What conclusion do you draw when someone who was raised in a Christian family and church, perhaps even playing a significant role in a chur...