Good morning,
It seemed like just a few weeks ago we were talking about what would happen in 2011 and now it’s almost gone. Each of us had plans and hopes for ourselves, our families, our jobs, and what was happening in the bigger world around us. Whatever was going to happen has happened and we are still here. The Lord told us that he had a plan for every day in our lives and now we have a better idea of what those promises meant. Paul brought this up when he was writing to the church at Ephesus, but his focus wasn’t on what he or they saw in the activities going on around them. Paul saw the bigger picture. Paul saw all the events of history as a part of the process of Jesus bringing everything in heaven and earth under his authority. It’s easy for us to forget that those of us on earth are surrounded by principalities and powers that we never see. The world of angels, both faithful and rebellious, is always fully involved with what we see happening. Jesus sees what we can’t and knows how all this fits into his plans.
Paul also knew first hand that God’s kids are part of an unbelievable family that begins here in time and on earth, that will live for eternity under the care of our Heavenly Father. Since we have joined Jesus’ body, the church, and are now joint inheritors with Jesus in time and eternity, we can be sure that the perfect plan God put together in eternity past will still be perfectly carried out in the present and in the future. God has never lost a battle and has never made a mistake. Even though the events around us often confuse or frighten us, God isn’t worried at all. Even though we are not used to miracle working powers, God is. Even though the enemy seems so confident and in control, it’s all a bad dream that will fall apart at God’s command. What God starts, he finishes. Next year will not be any different than any of the thousands of years that have come and gone since time began. May the Lord help us to believe the promises we have been given instead of believing the fear based lies that try to mask God’s perfect plan.
Ephesians 1:10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
Roy Wisner
