{12 Eternal Gifts} Let my plans…

Let my plans delight you.

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.”

It is so easy to get caught up in our plans, especially during the Christmas season.  The invitations to parties and school announcements about performances trickle in each day only to be queued up on the calendar.  With each additional commitment, we have to plan every other hour more intentionally in order to leave room for the laundry, meals, homework, and practices. We think we’ve got it all figured out and then our great master holiday season plan falls apart.

A child comes down ill on the way out the door to do some Christmas shopping.

A friend’s mother passes on and the wake is scheduled right for the same night of the cookie exchange.

The car was running just fine, until you bumped into that rock rushing out of your friend’s driveway.

The credit card bill didn’t get paid on time because the check got lost in the mail.

And hubby announces he’d like to have a little party right after Christmas before New Years.

Plans.  No matter how many we make, they never seem to go according to our master design.  But they always go according to His!  God is never surprised by the turn of events in our lives.  He saw them coming long before we ever turned the corner onto the unexpected.  Our days, hours, minutes are forever in God’s hands, past, present, and future.

He knows that ill child needs our attention, but more0ver that we need to take a night off from the running around. He knows we love a cookie exchange, but it doesn’t quite compare to the loss of a mother, does it?  He knew we were driving too fast, and used that rock to remind us to slow down…thwarting an even worse bump that would have happened without this G0d-intervention.  He was well informed about the check arriving late, which wasn’t anything other than a moment to exert some self-control and experience some overdue humility.  And he knew hubby wants that party, which will be a perfect way to get out of self-absorption and into relationships that matter.

God’s plans are perfect even when the are imperfectly perceived.  What a gift to treasure this Christmas time!

Reflection Questions

1. How much planning have you been doing this Christmas time?
2. Do you see the effect of God’s sovereign rescheduling?
3. How can you recenter your focus on the Lord each day in order to recognize His plans playing out instead of yours?

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Treasuring 12 Eternal Gifts

Join in today by leaving a link to a post, a Facebook thought, a Tweet, or a comment sharing about today’s gift.

Introduction

Day 1 ~ Let my Spirit fill you.
Day 2 ~ Let my Word satisfy you.
Day 3 ~ Let my Living Water refresh you.
Day 4 ~ Let my love surround you.
Day 5 ~ Let my forgiveness heal you.
Day 6 ~ Let my grace transform you.
Day 7 ~ Let my mercy undo you.
Day 8 ~ Let my purposes direct you.
Day 9 ~ Let my plans delight you.
Day 10 ~ Let me. Let me in.
Day 11 ~ Let me rule. Let me reign.
Day 12 ~ For my glory.