Plan A

I finally was able to attend The True Woman class on Sunday (meets at 11:30am in room 305 if you ever want to check it out!) To no surprise, it was a great hour. Mary is leading this group through Susan Hunt's The True Women book and every lady in there was eager to learn and grow in her quest of biblical womanhood. I left all inspired and filled up inside!

What has stuck with me this week since attending the class is something Mary said, "God's plan for us is always plan A." She explained further...we can't mess up God's plan for us. It's not like we make a poor decision and He thinks to Himself "here we go again! Gotta come up with a new plan for her because she messed up my first plan!" No, we are living in Plan A...right here, right now. Think about that for a second.

As I ponder that, I can't help but think about my biggest unanswered questions in life right now. For me and my family, I'd say it's a long term plan for us. Tell me if you can relate to these questions...how long are we going to be in Chicago? Are we ever going to be able to sell our condo with this market? How secure are our jobs? Should we live closer to our family? What do we do about school for our kids? Private? How do we pay for it? Public? Then where do we move to get into a good school? Home school? Oh no. I'd be horrible at it.

There are more times than I'd like to admit that I feel like I'm waiting for Plan A. I'm sure it's coming soon...God will reveal Himself and His plan for us just about any minute now.  And then I hear something like what Mary said. It was like she was talking directly to me, "Simone, you're living out your Plan A. Right now. Make the most of it, sister, because God's plan is perfect and best."

I searched the Bible over the last few days for examples of others living out God's Plan A but maybe not realizing it. Here's what I came up with:

King David -- known as the man after God's own heart, but lived with intense consequences because of some poor decisions. We can read firsthand David's thoughts and prayers, as if reading his journal, in the Psalms. I always like to think of David as a bit moody! One Psalm will be filled with praise and thanksgiving, and then next he will be crying and longing for answers from God. Sound familiar? God's plan for David was never rerouted. The day David wrote Psalm 16 seems like a day he understood his own Plan A, "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (v.11) 

Moses -- if you haven't read Exodus 3 and 4 lately, let me encourage you to do so. Moses was definitely struggling with God's Plan A for him. God said to Moses, "I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt." How did Moses respond? "Who am I...that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?" (3:11) And then 4:1 is the kicker when Moses said, "What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say?" I could just hug Moses for his honestly. He asked three questions throughout his dialog with God that I find many of us asking as well: who, what if, and please Lord, are you sure? (see 4:10) Like Moses, we want the details! When you find yourself asking these same questions, try to remember what God says back to Moses: "Certainty I will be with you..." (3:12), "I am who I am" (3:14), "I am the Lord" (6:2).

Jesus -- talk about a plan that would be hard to jump on board with. Plan A for Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice, betrayal by his people, and death on the cross. I see the humanity in Jesus when He requests to have this "cup" removed from him if it would be God's will (Luke 22:42). But we know it was God's will for Jesus to die on the cross. And thank Him that Plan A for Jesus was death so that you and I can live. 

I realize this post might be more for me than anything, but I felt responsible to share with you what God is showing me. Plan A is today, right now. And it is good, intended for God's glory, and training us for righteousness. So remind me of this when you hear me question the unknowns in my life and details yet to be revealed. And I'll do the same for you, sisters. 

Here's to Plan A!

Simone