Life Notes—January 24, 2013
“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
My son, Reid, loved Legos as a child. He loved putting them together, taking them apart, building them in new ways and creating his own little world out of them. When he was about six or seven I bought him a model of the Space Shuttle made from, you guessed it, Legos. Of course, it had to be assembled and there were over two thousand pieces with an instruction manual the size of a novel. But Reid was very excited about having his own space shuttle to play with. The primary complication was the time and effort required to get from the dream promised by the picture on the box to the reality of a space ship a little boy could actually play with. Having a father with obligations outside of space shuttle construction did not help extend the patience of a boy with a dream…
Just about everyone I know, myself included, has a space shuttle in some phase of construction. Something we have long dreamed about or are desperately hoping for. I know people trying to lose those last few pounds to reach their ideal body weight. I know those who are pinching pennies, trying to save enough money to reach a level of financial security. I know single folks waiting for Mr. or Ms. Right to come along and help them realize their dream for a family. Sometimes it seems our lives are like a Lego puzzle, with the events of each day being locked into place by a divine being who knows exactly what the finished product will be, but who also keeps us in the dark regarding our progress towards and the nature of that mysterious completed state. Being impatient by nature, we imagine the worst and speculate that our dream will never be realized.
I believe God does have a plan for our lives, as we are told in Jeremiah above. Not some fatalistic destiny that will manifest no matter what we do. Rather, I believe God’s plan is more of an array of unique possibilities for us; and the unique and dynamic blend of our free-will choices, our environment and God’s will manifests in our individual life experience. Our life puzzle has many pieces and, like the Lego space shuttle, many bear no resemblance to the finished product until they are locked into their proper place in relation to the other pieces. Like a journey of a thousand miles beginning with a single step, and then another, any one step is likely to seem insignificant; but all are required to complete the journey. We have many more reasons to hope than to despair.
Tom will preach downtown where Life worship is at 10:00 in Brady Hall and traditional worship is at 8:30 and 11:00 in the sanctuary. Mitch gives Part 2 of his “Adventure” series at the west campus, where worship is at 9:00 and 11:00.
Come home to church this Sunday. Discover the possibilities God has for your life.
Greg Hildenbrand, Life Music Coordinator
Contemplating Grace 