Sometimes I Forget-March 2011

Sometimes I forget that God is in everything. A raindrop falling to the earth, a summer breeze, a cascading waterfall, a hug, a smile, a high-five, ... and He is also in the storms, the struggles, the trials, the uphill climbs, the deserts, the valleys, and the broken moments. I was reading in Matthew the other day about the account of Christ being born. I was struck my the way the tiniest of details were worked out by God to make it all happen. Here are all the "What-if's" I thought of in that story that would have prevented the situations from happening the way God designed.

What if...

-Joseph flew off the handle at first moment of hearing Mary was pregnant?

-Joseph had spoken to others about her pregnancy? (which could have landed her being stoned)

-Joseph decided he didn't want to stay with her even if the baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit?

-the Angel didn't appear to Joseph in time?

-Jesus came not at the moment He did, which fulfilled prophecy?

-The Wise Men didn't believe about the star?

-The Wise Men didn't heed the message from the angel about not returning to Herod?

-Joseph didn't respond when the Angel said to move it on out of there?

-Herod had found Jesus?

-Mary and Joseph had been disobedient in heeding instructions from God?

The list could go on...as I read, I realized that EVERY tiny single little detail was supernaturally planned and orchestrated. So many obstacles of this world were fighting the plan of God; more largely, the plan of salvation. The tiniest fluke in any of these details would have drastically thrown everything off. Why was all of this planned out so intricately? So Jesus could come pay my sin penalty-our sin penalty. God made SURE that the purposes He sent forth were accomplished.

So why do we doubt God acting this very way in our lives? So many times I forget that there is a reason for everything, that God plans every detail of our lives...just as it talks about in Proverbs. Sometimes I get afraid of messing up what God has for me or goofing things up in general...or missing something. But how comforting to know that as I serve and follow Him, God will work out His plans just as He decides; which I can rest assured, is the best way.

Study the stories of the Bible and watch the creative, amazing ways God works His plan, especially when it looks like things are a mess beyond repair and utterly hopeless. Be encouraged in remembering He will work that very same way in our lives, if we surrender them to Him.

Jesus, thank you for your incredible sacrifice. And thank you for delighting in every detail of our lives out of Your great love for us. Thank you for paying the debt that I never could. I love you with all my heart.