By Pastor Don Schatz

The Plan Comes First

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void…”
Genesis 1:1–2  New Revised Standard Version

It is always better to start a project with a plan already in place.  A vision, mental if not a drawing, of what the finished product will look like. The plan will also include “how to do it list,” as well as a “a list of what tools and supplies” one will need.  Have I done it by the seat of my pants on occasion?  Yes.  Did those instances turn out okay?  Once again, on occasion.  But in each of those instances, my level of frustration, the number of times I had to start over, and the length of time it took to finish the project made me wish I had made a thorough plan up front.

Do you think God “winged” it with creation?  Did he just say, “Let there be light,” and then go from there, day after day?  Did he have a vision, mentally or written down (I know, I’m anthropomorphizing) before he started?  I have a hunch he had a plan.  A vision.

Admittedly, one can have a plan, even a vision of how a day will go before one leaves the house, or gets out of bed.  And then chaos blows things up.  That didn’t happen to the Lord.  At the end of each day’s work he said, “It’s good.”  And at the end of the whole work of creation God said, “It’s very good.”

I know that Genesis 3 came along, and humankind turned everything to chaos.  And Scripture teaches us God had a plan for that.  Ultimately, that plan is Jesus.  Since we are still living in a sometimes (putting it charitably) chaotic world and life, isn’t it great to know that God has a plan?  Not only that, but his plan is already completed.  Once-for-all Jesus worked his work of salvation, forgiveness and eternal life for us.

Is your day, your week, going according to plan?  The Lord God has you covered.  In his plan of salvation.

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado