I
had one of those milestone birthdays last year and was reminded of that
yesterday when my beautiful wife of 30 years told me that I would not have to
begin taking withdrawals from my IRA account at age 70.5....a date that is just
a few short weeks away. There's some kind of new law that was enacted so that
the withdrawal age is now 72.
I
say all that to say this got me thinking...what is the summation of my life and
the plans that I made as a younger man? You see, at the tender age of twelve, I
heard the call from God to become a Baptist pastor. In fact, from that time
until age 19, my plan was set...go to college, then seminary and then become a
pastor and preacher of my faith; however, that summer of my 19th birthday, I
was working in the Youth For Christ ministry in Charlotte. We set about to
develop a ministry outreach to troubled youth in our community and I was placed
in charge. I went about Charlotte, talking to wealthy "believers", raised $1000 and took
10 young boys, ages 12-15 to a two week summer camp. It was there, we poured
ourselves into these young men with activity and the daily presentation of the
Gospel; by the end of camp, 7 of these boys had accepted Christ as their
personal Savior. Since that was just their first step into the
"faith", I continued to spend time with them on a weekly basis
throughout the summer, playing sports and studying the Bible together. During
this special time with these young men, I began to realize that I had a tender heart
for these "troubled lads" and my commitment to becoming a pastor
began to wane. So, I looked for
opportunities to study child psychology and prepare myself to work with
troubled teens. I changed my major and dived headlong into what I believed was
my "new and improved" calling; but before I could travel very far on
this path, I had dropped out of college; got re-classified 1-A in the military
draft and then joined the Navy as Reservist with a 6 year commitment. My how
life and my PLANS had changed!
And
as life seems to do to a lot of us, by the time I finished my Naval service and
returned home to Charlotte to re-engage myself in pursuit of a college
education, my plans did not include becoming a pastor, working with troubled
teens or anything else that would resemble a "higher" calling...I had
made my plans all about...ME!!!!
FAST
FORWARD ALMOST FIFTY YEARS....and I can tell you the Bible tells us in Jeremiah
29: 11, " For I know the plans I have for you, declares
the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and
a hope."
I can also affirm that every time I read this passage, I am reminded that God
has a better plan....always has and always will! I know that though I missed
the path that God had planned for me as a young boy, no matter where I went or
how far I might have strayed, God was always at work directing and guiding me
back to a place of impact in the lives I have encountered in my journey of
life.
Did
I ever become that pastor that I was called to be? No...but I have had so many
countless opportunities to share my faith over these many years... from the
pulpit in many churches to the podium at my Rotary Club; from a stage with 5000
teenagers in attendance at a YFC Rally in Winona Lake, Indiana to a music hall
in Hiawassee, Georgia (with over 2000 Relay for Life attendees) as my beautiful 7 year old daughter sang the
song by Mark Schultz, He's My Son.
But
the best part of my reflection of how God took a broken set of plans and made
something that He could use for my good and His Glory is found in another verse
in our Jeremiah passage, where God says to all who seek to know Him and fit
into His will....
" You will seek me
and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."
So,
how are your plans working out? Did you start on a journey to be something or
someone that God called you to be? Did life knock you off course or just plain blow
up all the things that you were going to accomplish....and now, when you look
across the landscape of who you are and what you have done, does it look like a
battlefield that contains no survivors...scared, scorched and desolate? Or perhaps, it's not all that bad, considering
you gave it your best shot?
Here's
the good news....GOD'S NOT DONE WITH YOU YET....HE STILL HAS A PLAN AND HE CAN
AND WILL BRING IT TO FRUITION....He just needs one thing;
YOUR WILLING HEART... SURRENDED TO HIM!!!!
So,
my final question....Are you ready to let go and LET GOD? If so, the rocket is on the launch pad, the
countdown has begun and lift off is imminent....God promises you two things
from today's passage...
Plans for a
future that is filled with peace and hope ....and...
You will find
Him when you search for Him with your whole heart.
Wait!
One more question...WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
Failed
in my plans...holding tight to God's Plan,
WPQ
Poem for the
day....
When we're small
as children
And asked what
we will be
If we only had a
crystal ball
To see what we
shall see;
We might become
a fireman
Or a singer in a
band;
But I have found
it's best to wait
And see what God
holds in His hand.
For with our
small and puny minds
We simply cannot
comprehend...
That God has
sent for us a plan;
A life that
never ends!
So seek the
Father's will today
And in His bosom
rest;
He'll give you
peace, hope and love
Because His
plans are the BEST!!!!
WPQ © January
2020
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