A lot of the federal stimulus money is being spent on repairing roads here in Massachusetts. There are lots of detours. Obviously it makes me happy to ride on smoother roads but this morning on my way to school it really became too much when I had to take a detour while on a detour. I began to wonder if I had to go to Connecticut and back to get to Massachusetts.
It is much like our lives. We make plans and goals but soon discover achieving them often requires detours. In Ephesians 2:10 Paul wrote, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” God has plans for us and if we cooperate with His leading we will end up accomplishing marvelous things. However, often our selfish will leads us off track. But God doesn’t give up on us; not at all. He has plan B for us. It is still wonderful, perhaps not as grand as plan A, but still really good. I sometimes wonder if I am on Plan Triple Z. Then I stop and say to myself. “Hey, Bub, life is really good. You are in the classroom everyday teaching God’s young people. What more do you want?” I do think I am on a detour but I have to say it’s a great detour.
Sometimes God has to do drastic things to get us where He wants us. We would never go there of our own choosing. He had to knock Paul off his horse on the road to Damascus. We have to acknowledge the detour that followed was a tremendous string of incredible missionary journeys. The grand part is God never gives up on us.
Written by Roger Bothwell on September 3, 2009
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org