September 5, 2016 – Words of Wisdom
John Lennon (song Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy))

“Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans”

“Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’” Luke 10:30-35
There is this saying that I have often heard in the church that I wonder what the origin of the saying really is. But here it is: If you want to make G-d laugh tell him your plans for the future.  Maybe you have heard someone say something similar. Of course, for many of us in the church, we know that this is a truism about our lives. For all of the plans that we make for the future, what will eventually happen is truly in G-d’s hands, not ours. And this can be as much about our long-term future as it can be for just today. I often have looked at my schedule for the day thinking “Not much happening today” only to have the wheels fall off completely in many, many ways. Think of the man on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. He wasn’t planning on being robbed and beaten half to death when he set out after kissing his wife and children good-bye. And the Samaritan, he too was not expecting to find someone who looked dead lying along path. Each one of them had one set of plans, but something else happened that would change the course of their day, if not their lives.

You may have great plans today, or you may still be deciding your plans. Remember, G-d is in charge, and though you may think that not much will happen today, there is always the chance that G-d will surprise you and challenge you in ways you would never have considered. And in the process, you can learn a lot about yourself and your faith.

Pastor Dave