"What Shall Come To Pass"

God has a plan

Immersed in my pre-writing thoughts, I stared at the computer so long that the screen saver started. Five small squares began meandering about the screen, drawing vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines. They followed random paths, each changing direction at random moments. Behind them developed trails which every ten seconds changed colors randomly, leaving the previous colors behind. Steadily the screen became a tangle of random paths and colors, with the squares constantly adding to the mess.

As I gazed at the on-screen action, I knew I could do nothing to control even one of those squares. I couldn't affect the new color choice nor the new direction of travel nor the time when that direction would change. Not only could I not control matters, I couldn't predict them. I was merely an observer, entirely powerless and clueless. Any plans I might make or hopes and expectations I might entertain for those squares and their travels would be meaningless and pointless. To be sure, I could poke any key or jiggle the mouse, and all the action would instantly cease and disappear. But that's nothing compared to being able to foreknow, plan, and direct.

That reminded me of today's lesson. God foreknows all the action on the screen of human history. To Him, nothing is random or unpredictable. Nothing spins beyond His ability to control and direct. Thus He can plan, divinely certain that nothing and no one can keep His plan from developing.

One implication of that truth is that my life is neither pointless nor puzzling to God. Therefore, it makes sense to trust my life to Him, committing myself to Him and His plan. In that truth and resulting trust I find comfort, courage, peace, strength, rest, purpose, and meaning.

What other implications do you see?

Certain and sure

As Daniel came to the conclusion of his speech to the king, he had this clinching statement: "The dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure." (Daniel 2:45). In other words, "There is no guesswork here, O king, and definitely no wishful thinking. That is exactly what you dreamed and that is precisely what will happen. No matter how much time elapses before all this comes to pass, it will come to pass. And it will come to pass exactly as I have told you. You can count on it. You should count on it. So learn from it. Plan for it. Live by it. God has spoken. Listen!"