And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.” Matthew 1:19 ESV
There’s an old saying that “if you want to make God laugh, make plans.” I’m sure many of us can reflect on times in our lives when we thought we had a plan that we intended to faithfully execute, and then a shift happened. Perhaps, it was a move of the Holy Spirit prompting us to make a different choice, or maybe a door closed that from our human perspective was sure to be opened, or even remain open. Yet, it becomes clear that God had other plans.
Joseph experienced this when learning about Mary being pregnant with Jesus. In fact, Joseph’s plans shifted twice. When he became engaged to Mary, he probably thought that they would marry in a traditional Jewish ceremony, work his vocation, and have children after being married. Then Joseph learned Mary was pregnant, and the Bible records he made a new plan to honor Mary by divorcing her privately. But Joseph did not divorce Mary. In fact, Jesus was born and some records indicate that they were not married at the time of His birth. Talk about a change in plans! I can imagine God laughing lovingly at Joseph with a smirk saying, “you thought you knew!”
Sometimes as humans, we can put more faith and trust in our plans than in God. I’m not telling you not to plan and strategize, just ensure that your safety net is in God and not what you have laid out in your human capacity.
Reflection
What plans have I created for myself? Have I given them to God? Am I willing to release my plans for His will? Where am I placing my trust?
Prayer
Lord, thank you for Your plans. Forgive me when I hold too tightly to my idea of how things should be in life. Help me to trust you and follow the path You have for me. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Comentarios