“Plan your work, then work your plan.”
If I have been told that once, I have been told that a thousand times. And for a thousand times I tended to kick against that plan. After all, plans were made to be broken. Right?
The basketball coach wants to run a play/plan, but would often applaud spontaneous action.
Financial plan? All well and good until life got in the way and spending for now became the modus operandi. Worry about consequences later.
After all, “the best laid plans of mice and men are all for naught.” My translation of that is “The best laid plans of mice and men go down the tubes.”
We saw a good example of the first quote “Plan your work and work your plan” this past week. After the horrendous moment at Monday’s Boston Marathon, a plan was put in place to find out and capture the cowards. An almost methodical approach was taken that included viewing footage, pictures, and then implementing the plan to capture them. I have to admit the old man in me has one regret: the older brother died way too quickly.
But I must admit I was impressed by the working of the plan by all involved. It would have been easy to have been rattled beyond rational thinking and action. It would have been easy to go off half-cocked with eyes afire and guns a-blazin’. There was a unity that was necessary for all departments to work together. Unlike the scene in The Fugitive where the Chicago police are working their own agenda that was against the agenda of the US Marshals. Not in this scenario. They worked together. In tandem. The plan ended in the death and the arrest of the cowards, oops I mean, perpetrators.
Reminds me of another Plan that was hatched in ages past. From the dawn of creation. The Plan for redemption, the rescue of man from his sin. “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb.12:2) And let’s not forget the verse in Phil.2:8: “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross.”
The Plan for man’s salvation was hatched from the beginning. But I, for one, also believe Jesus had the free will given to all and could have chosen not to die. I once heard it put: “The Plan was predestined, not the man.” I believe that. But I am sooooo thankful for Jesus’ willingness to be obedient and to carry out the plan for salvation-to die on a cross.
This is one plan for which I am glad the person involved did not go His own way. Any thoughts? Disagreement allowed. Just be kind. 🙂
Well, Jesus’ food was to do the will of the Father, so I don’t think He really considered not sticking to the plan. I know He asked if the cup could not pass, but I don’t think He was looking for a way out.
I understand what you are saying Larry. I should have made it clearer that I am not a fan of predestination and taking away free will. Maybe that will clarify the direction I was hoping to go in. Any thoughts?
I really don’t think predestination and free will oppose each other. I think, for example, that I was predestined to follow Christ. However, my choices, or free will, led me to the appointed time when I was predestined to follow Christ. What I don’t think is that God is a puppet master and that we are automatons who simply do as the strings lead us. Another way of putting it is that everything that happens dovetails exactly into what God predestined to happen. I don’t worry much with the mechanics of it.
I do understand your point. I think Romans 8:29 is also really big in this discussion- “to be conformed to the image of Christ.” I do reject the puppet master concept. That reeks of hyper-Calvinism to me. And to tell you the truth: I don’t really think all that much about it either. Sort of like the mechanics and timing of the Second Coming and all the “events” surrounding it. Let it happen.
This world is a mess. The bad seems to completely outweigh and smother any good. I really struggle to even know how to pray. This type of “shocking” and “outrageous” occurrence seems like it happens all the dang time. I am frustrated and sickened.
Totally agree Daniel. It will be a mess until Jesus comes again. It is frustrating and sickening, but don’t give up hope.
I agree that the Boston PD did a very impressive job at catching the cowards. I also agree that God has a plan for us. Does the living Boston perp have any chance n God’s plan? Do you think it’s absolute that he follow the Biblical version of God’s plan, or could God’s ultimate plan even pluck a coward like that confused kid back into his arms if he were to die today?
My personal belief that nobody is beyond the reach of God’s love and arm. If he repented and came to faith in Jesus, then yes I believe He can be in God’s arms. But then again, I believe all men have that promise.
One of the things we don’t think too much about (or don’t like to think about) is the fact that the devil has a plan too.
God has His plan. Jesus carried it out. Now He is trusting us to carry on His plan: letting people know that there is a Way out of this mess – and point folks to Christ.
But the devil has his sights set on his plan too. John 10.10 is an easy explanation of that. He has our families, kids, marriages, & Church in his crosshairs. We can’t forget that we are in a battle. What happened in Boston is proof of that.
Most definitely in a battle Craig. The two battle plans will always cross. Good point.
I like the fact that they shut down the city to ensure success and all were on board.
I may be over simplifying it, but I believe that God who created our minds, can offer all to come to saving knowledge yet know the outcome. How can we grasp the mind of God? He even says, as you well know, “MY ways are higher than your ways.”
Couldn’t agree more on the Plan to save us though, that’s the foundation…
His Omniscience tells me He knows all, even what choice we will make. I can’t understand (as you have stated) the mind of God or the ways of God. I do have to trust Him.
the Master plan by the Master Planner – i am so thankful! I always think Isaiah got a glimpse of that heavenly council meeting in Ch 6 – where he hears the Father say – who will I send – and jumps in for his generation to be an answer to God’s question, but Isaiah leaves before The Answer for all generations says, Father, I will go, I will embrase this plan, though i despise parts of it, and I will see it through.
Thank you Jesus, and thank you cycleguy for this great reminder of that Master plan
You’re welcome Ben. I love talking about His Master Plan since it involves each one of us.
Perhaps I have read / watched too many books / movies about FBI / CIA / whatnot, so I am a bit unsure whether those two brothers really were the ones who caused the tragedy. Somewhere deep in me, there’s a sadness that perhaps they were at a wrong place at a wrong time.
The Fugitive shows that idea that innocent people might get blamed for what they did not do as well as Shawshank Redemption. Not to mention Grisham’s non-fiction “Innocent Man”…
Last year, there was a shooting in a mall that is 15 minutes walking from my home and where I usually shop (and was planning on going there to get food, but at the last minute decided that I am too lazy – laziness has its pro points!)… The entire story about the shooter was fishy and it felt as if someone in power just needed to avert the attention from something else… The guy who presumably shot the guards was lost for some time (which is also weird because they had all the information about his family and him), and then suddenly one day we read the news that he was found dead. There’s just something not right.
So with this bombs thing in Boston… I am terribly sorry for all those who died and for those who lost limbs, etc… But I don’t trust human justice. And I am not sure whether those are truly the guys who really did it.
I am not much of a fan of human justice either Zee, but that is all we have (for now). I would like to think they acted alone, but would not be that surprised if found out differently.
He’s got a plan and it always works. As Job found out and testified to, “I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” We may not always understand, but it’s the best place to be. Good thoughts, Bill.
God has a plan without a doubt Jason. His plan will come to fruition someday. Understand? No. Believe? You bet. Thanks for the Scripture.
I agree, Bill, Jesus didn’t HAVE to follow the plan. He chose to.
I think that’s part of why He spent so much time in prayer…He needed to Hear and be reminded by His Father what the plan was. He was tempted like us, tempted by good things- like to stay in one place and heal all those who came to Him, but that wasn’t the plan, so He moved on.
Lately I’ve wondered how much time in prayer did He spend over Judas? Judas also had free will, Jesus loved Him. I wonder how much agonizing prayer time Jesus had petitioning God to help Judas change his heart/mind.
I think He spent time in prayer for all of His followers, even those He knew would forsake Him at one point or another.
He chose to. Correct TC. You do raise an interesting thought about prayer and Jesus. Worth thinking about.
With respect to predestination, my take has been that God doesn’t turn any screws differently in those that are saved than those who don’t accept His offer. He gives us all a free will but He already knows who will CHOOSE. He has made His plan known and available to all, and faithfully allows opportunity for all to choose countless times throughout our lives. The sad fact is, many will never accept His offer.
Regarding if the surviving perpetrator can be saved, I absolutely believe he can. He wouldn’t be the first who has sinned so greatly against his fellow man and repented into Christ’s salvation. In our flesh we may not understand or agree, but how could we expect anything less from so great a God. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God …..
David,
Here’s where I sometimes wonder if the theory of many-worlds is a valid one (i.e. when each decision we make or not make “creates” another universe in a way)… That way, everyone can get a chance to say “yes” to God… But then, at the same time, it seems rather a rather complicated scheme (but for God who created this entire Universe and manages to keep it alive for 13.7 billion years… what’s another infinity of Universes?) 😀
🙂
I agree on both counts David. He knows but allows us to choose. I certainly don’t understand all of that. Reading my comment to Dan you know I believe he can be saved if he repents and comes to faith in Christ. That is what grace is all about.
What saddens me is this comes from one of our own US Citizens.
But I am glad that they have been caught in so short of a time. I know that each of them knew that while they could get away with the tragedy, they would be eventually caught.
it is sad Ed. But it does the depravity of man when left without Christ.
So thankful for His plan, that is being executed perfectly every day. God bless you and the part you play in it!
Totally agree Deb. Thanks.
It helps me just to take a step back and see the bigger plan sometimes – his bigger plan. I get so caught up in the day to day, that I need to remind myself of what I’ll care about one million years from now.