When a Glorious Plan Comes Together
“I love it when a plan comes together.” If you grew up in the 80s, you’d recognize Hannibal’s famous line from the A-Team. If not, you may know the line from the A-Team movie starring Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper. The line is ironic because the A-Team always pulls off some crazy strategy with confidence, as if they never even considered that it may not work.
God has always had a plan for you… for me… and for the world.
This may be “Lorri-math,” but if Love never fails and God is love, then God never fails, which means that God’s plans never fail. The evidence surrounds us at Easter time. God had a plan to redeem us from our sins. Prophecies in the Bible foretell Jesus’s death in detail, down to dice being tossed for his clothing (Psalm 22:18). God doesn’t hide the fact that the line of David shall rule forever (Jeremiah 23:5, Isaiah 11:1, Psalm 89:3-4).
Jesus rode into Jerusalem on purpose, knowing He was about to be scoffed at, beaten, scourged, and crucified. Most of us would run the other way, but not Jesus. He was on a mission to redeem us no matter the cost. He understood He would pay dearly for our sins, but He faced Pontious Pilot. He allowed a crown of thorns to be placed on His head. He let Roman soldiers hammer nails into His hands and feet and permitted them to crucify Him next to thieves and murderers, even though at any moment Jesus could have called down legions of angel armies from heaven. It was His plan to die for us so that we might live.
I love Easter because it’s synonymous with hope.
At the beginning of every service, my church shows a montage of videos and pictures from the local area, accompanied by the following words on the screen:
This is love.
Not that we loved God.
But that He loved us.
And sent His son.
As a sacrifice for our sins.
Praise be to God!
In His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope.
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Experience Peace.
Experience Freedom
Experience Hope
Experience Life.
Jesus came so that we may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10).
The Easter message is our message. Often, I’m busy serving, distracted as I hug friends while I take my seat, or I’m running late and miss the opener, but these words are not a message to miss. They are so powerful because God’s plan came together. He saved us from death, He redeemed us from the fall and cleansed us from the sins that separated us from our Father and loving creator.
We can live in the peace of knowing God isn’t done yet. He has a plan for our future, and it ends in victory because God loves us, and His plan is for us to spend eternity with Him.
I love witnessing God’s glorious plan come together.
