With a Plan Comes a Future

“But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.” (Jud 13:23 AV)

Sometimes our obituary is written way too early! Samson’s father assumed that because they had seen God, or more correctly an angel of God, they would soon perish.  His wife, being the more logical one points out the obvious.  Why show them future plans if God was going to kill them?  Why accept an offering at their hands if they were going to drop dead?  The greatest promise of life is a plan for it.  Samson’s mom is not worried.  They have a plan and the LORD is in that plan.  As Mark Twain said, “reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

 I have seen many folks think their lives were over.  For various reasons.  Some believe they are under the judgment of God and will never amount to anything useful.  Others who are racked with disease believe there is nothing left of life and waste away in the privacy of their own trial.  Still others see diminished ability and see that as an indication that purpose of life is no longer important.  Still others see a dead end in their present purpose of life and assume it is time to simply keep the ground one has gained and run out the clock.  Whatever reason for thinking one’s life and purpose are over are false.  As long as the LORD had planned for tomorrow, there is a reason to continue.

One of my heroes of life went on the be with the LORD just last year.  She was a widow for decades and passed just before her 100^th birthday.  This lady was faithful to all services.  She never missed one.  She had to walk to church with a cane.  She volunteered to work in our AWANA program and the store keeper.  Always in Sunday school.  Always in church.  Always serving with every ounce of strength she had until the day God called her home.  What kept her going?  She had a deep sense of purpose.  A plan for the next day.  There was something the LORD wanted her to accomplish every moment of every day.  Our lives are not over until God says they are!  So, find God’s plan and pursue it!