In the Beginning
Jeremiah 29:11
“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”
In the beginning we were told we were having twins! This news was taken with joy as we had wanted another child for some time. Still twins required some review of our plans. At the time I was a purchasing agent for the maintenance of the world’s largest industrial bakery. My days started at 5 Am., ordering from Germany or France, ending at 3:30pm with queries to the orient. My wife was a successful entrepreneur supervising multiple employees in a multi state endeavor.
I was to become Youth Pastor and we the Youth Leaders at our church in just a few weeks with ordination following two months later. My position as Elder and my wife and my work with youth were eating up some 30 plus hours weekly. Still with careful consideration of our situation we decided we could do it all with twins and our 9 and 6 year old daughters in tow!
Truth be told we were stretched too thin but we knew we could perform at the highest level and we were not going to disappoint our audience. Then the truth hit us and our world went sideways.
Around 2:30am on a Friday scantly two weeks after we had been informed about a double delivery my wife woke me up in a panic! She was bleeding and did not feel well. I was zonked. Running on five hours sleep or less was taking me down. Friday was the only night I could really rest. She could not roust me. Fortunately we lived only 5 minutes from a hospital so off she went into the night panicked and alone. I laid there drowsily pondering if we would loose our twins, too tired to do little else.
Now I know these do not sound like the actions of a loving husband and father. You would be right to make that assessment. This was also not indicative of my personality or parenting style. I was woefully spent from months of putting on a façade. Running a rat’s race in a stained-glass maze. Winking and nodding at doctrines I did not truly accept. Leaving my family to attend meetings where nothing was accomplished and much was left undone.
My wife returned a little before 5am and gave me news that did get my attention. We had not lost two babies we had gained two! She was fine but hers was a quadruplet pregnancy and in the morning we had to make some serious decisions. I told her I was glad she was ok and that God was in control and took advantage of few more hours of rest.
About 7am I got my coffee and honestly prayed for the first time in months. It was as if God had been wryly waiting for this conversation. In short time I received peace, release and purpose. Peace from realizing He really was in control. Release from my performance efforts to serve Him. Purpose in seeing His plan and lying mine down in exchange.
Prayer and Ponderance
Isaiah 55:8:11
Acts 16:6-7
Psalm 86:11
Samuel 15:22-23
Have your plans ever been up rooted suddenly?
How easy was it to let go of your plans?
When this happened did it turn out better or worse than you had first planned?
Have you ever felt you had been part of a “Divine Intervention”?
How can we determine if God is rocking your world or just circumstance?
Has stubbornness ever foiled your obedience?
I had been stubborn about my plan to serve God. When I humbly prayed I saw how compromised I’d become. I embraced His plan happily!
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