Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

The hardship of planning

Every fall as the weather begins to change and the nights become cooler, it always starts me thinking of the upcoming holidays just around the corner. This is truly my favorite time of year; however, with this comes a great deal of busyness which requires a great deal of planning. At times it can feel overwhelming to the point that I start asking myself, “Why am I even doing this?” (Sometimes I get a little “attitudy.”) So many plans with so many people who are affected by so many decisions can weigh heavily on a person. Sometimes the planning can be so taxing – it hardly makes rational sense that there is good to be had in any of it. I mean… why plan at all? Can I not just show up here and there and pray that things will just “work themselves out?” Probably not!

I look through scripture and wonder how much planning went into some of the events portrayed in the New Testament alone, or more specifically, simply surrounding Jesus. Hundreds of prophesies came to pass. Did these just happen or was there a plan from the beginning?

When I think of Jesus and how he sacrificed himself, I think of all the planning that went into just that event alone. Jesus planned his own sacrifice. Jesus intentionally planted the tree from which his cross would be carved. He planned the storms that would come to water that tree until that faithful day. He willingly placed the iron ore in the heart of the earth from which the nails would be cast. He voluntarily placed Judas in the womb of a woman knowing that he would one day betray. Jesus was the one who set into motion the cultural and political machinery that would send Pilate to Jerusalem and allow Barabbas to be freed. Jesus planned to be crucified, not in a cathedral between two candles but on a cross between two thieves. And he planned it while thinking of me! Maybe planning isn’t so bad after all.

 

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