S - Acts 1:3, 6-8 (ESV):
"He presented himself alive to them
after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and
speaking about the kingdom of God. … So when they had come together, they asked
him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to
them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by
his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”"
O - The
resurrected Jesus is speaking about the kingdom and the disciples want to know
the plan. The Lord is pretty clear on
this point … "it's not for you to know". So, how come so much of our
thinking, writing and speaking is about "the plan"? It's not that heaven doesn't have plans
(principles, promises and the like) it is that the point has never been a plan
but a person. God did not so love the world that he gave/sent a plan but his
son. Spirit life, eternal life isn't
found in a promise, principle or plan. It is found in Jesus and all the world
is called to his person. The disciples
will wait and will be empowered and will be the witnesses of Jesus … not a
plan. Jesus told the very first
followers "you will be my witness" i.e. witness of me! It is the same
for all who will follow.
A -
The problem we humans have is that we always want to know the plan. Heaven is not offering us a plan but a
person. Heaven doesn't want us to
believe "the plan" but to
believe the person; it doesn't want us to work the plan but to work with the
person; it doesn't want us to claim
promises but follow a person. The
Scriptures weren't given to us to reveal a plan but a person. "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them
you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you
refuse to come to me that you may have life." (John 5:39, 40 ESV). I'm not called to be a witness of a concept, promise,
principal or plan but of the person of Jesus. Today, I will live out loud the
joy and confidence of being near and following his person.
P - Lord,
I
admit my preoccupation with plans and you want me focused on your person. Today I choose to refuse a plan and to engage
your person … to not work for you but with you.
I also admit that you already have in mind what you're going to do. I
say yes to you and will follow. I'm very
glad to be a witness of your person not a plan.
I love you back!
Steve
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