Its not what you think.
We start in Genesis - and it takes weeks. Sometimes its at breakfast or dinner. Sometimes its at bedtime. We have a few visual aids that the Children can stick to a flannel Christmas tree when we are done with a certain segment. The idea is to put baby Jesus on the tree by Christmas.
Its the middle of January, all the Christmas decor is put away, and we are still a long way from putting baby Jesus on the tree.
I am doing the story telling this year and I have found myself reverting to a common theme, a commonality that ties all the Bible stories together. "God has a plan." Each one of these characters plays a vital role in the greatest story every told. God used each of them to accomplish His ultimate purpose.
In Jeremiah God famously tells the Israelites:
- "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." (KJV)
- "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV)
When I think of God's "PLAN" I always think that it is something grandiose. I keep wondering when "God's plan" for MY life is going to kick in.
As we have told the stories of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Daniel, Ruth, Boaz, David, Solomon, and so many others, it has struck me that "God's plan" may be very mundane - even painful.
What did Issac do? He just lived his life and had a set of twins - he even failed at maintaining order in his household. His kids HATED each other. His younger son lied to him as he lay dying. Yet Issac's life is essential in God's plan. The Messiah is coming through his bloodline. His great purpose in life was to continue the bloodline.
"Well done my good and faithful servant."
"Huh? What did I do? I just took care of my sheep."
"You lived and had a family."
"But I was a terrible father."
"But my purpose was accomplished."
Jacob had a pretty rough go of it too. He had to work 14 years to earn his wife. She couldn't have children, but when she did have a child, he was a little bratty - so much so that his step brothers faked his death and sold him into slavery. Imagine the heartache of losing an only child (by that wife). Then the drought/famine - the worries of taking care of his family. Then having to send his beloved Benjamin to Egypt, only to have him imprisoned...Then you have to leave the land you love and move to Egypt to live among strangers. This man's life was one tragedy after another. Yet God's purpose was accomplished. "Well done."
What did Boaz do? He ran his (very successful) business and married a pretty little widow that came and lay at his feet one night during the harvest. They had a child named Jessee who had a child that eventually became the king of Israel (David).
"Well done my good and faithful servant."
"Uh.. thanks. "
I always thought I had to be a David, a Joseph, or a modern day Dwight Moody, Billy Graham, or a billionaire tycoon to accomplish God's purpose in my life.
I am coming to realize that it is ok to be an Isaac or a Boaz. Maybe I will never know what part of God's plan was accomplished just because I lived, married, and had children.
God may never bless me with that knowledge. But by faith, I carry on, knowing that His ways, His thoughts, are higher than mine. By faith, I know that God has a purpose and a reason for my life. By faith, I am going to have baby Jesus on that tree by the end of this month.
By faith, I know that when I see Him face to face I will finally understand and hopefully.... yes hopefully... he will say "well done."
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