Genesis 18:10-14
Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Genesis 18:10-14 (NIV)
On January 5, 2025, Pastor Jessica’s Epiphany sermon shared with us a wheel that we could spin that would give us a word to focus on for the year. My word was patience, and I am reminded of that word again here as I read Sarah and Abraham’s story and as I reflect on my own story. It makes a lot of sense to me that I would be given the word patience to focus on, to work on, because it is not something that comes easily for me, something with which I notably struggle. I don’t think I am likely alone in this struggle, but we all must have patience as we wait for God to reveal His wonderful plan in His time.
Our plans do not always line up with God’s plan. In fact, it might be fair to say that most of the time our plans do not align with God’s plan, at least not how we envision it, and it is hard for us to understand God’s master plan. We cannot see the full picture.
I remember praying every night in gratitude, when both my children were very young – before Ryker’s disease had shown itself. I could not understand how my life could be so perfect when others had so many struggles, but I was so incredibly grateful for all that God had given our family. After Ryker started to regress and decline, due to what we eventually discovered was a fatal genetic disorder, it took me a while to find that gratitude again. Through scripture and support from family, community, and church, I was able to find that gratitude once more. I realized that God’s plan does not always look like what I had envisioned, but it is always good and perfect and beautiful. Of course, still today, I would love to have Ryker here with us, happy and healthy, but I am so grateful for the time God entrusted him in our care, for the amazing people he brought into our lives, for the awareness to make the most out of every moment and every opportunity, for the wisdom he showed us regarding what is truly important, for the time we will have again together in Heaven someday, and so many other things both seen and unseen. So, while it’s not always easy to trust or understand God’s plan or His timing, we can trust knowing that it will be good even if it seems difficult or unfair, especially when we don’t understand, because God does not make mistakes, He is good all the time, and nothing is impossible for Him.
This will debut on our 15th wedding anniversary and exactly one month before what would have been Ryker’s 13th birthday. Amidst our first year without him here on earth, we do not fully understand God’s plan for Ryker or our family, maybe never will. But we trust.
Questions for Reflection:
- Is there something in your life that you are struggling with? Trying to understand?
- Are you able to turn over your worries and confusion to God and trust that He’s got it? That all will be well in end?
- Can you remember a time when things seemingly didn’t go according to your plan, but in hindsight, you can see how they turned out even better or something unexpected and good came from it?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, architect of all that is good, help me to trust that your plan is the best plan and that you are always at work to make all things work for good in your beautiful and perfect plan. Help me to be patient and to trust as your plan unfolds. Lord, my heart is filled with gratitude for all that you do. Grant me your peace. In your name, I pray. Amen.
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