The blessing of ‘plan A’

Don’t you just love blessings? I sure do. But sometimes I think there are blessings in disguise.

For example, Abram and Sarai had been waiting for a child for years … and they were expecting their first child when she was 90 and he was 100.

OH MY GOODNESS. I had the joy of keeping the nursery Wednesday night at church. One older toddler, one younger toddler and one infant. We had so much fun. But whew. I was tired when I went home, and still felt exhausted the next morning. Sure you might laugh and say I’m close to 90 — but not that close!

So for Abram and Sarai that was a fulfillment of God’s promise and blessings but at one point they gave up and went to Sarai’s plan B. Straying from God’s plan A, is never a smart thing to do.

But God blessed that child of Abram’s too. When Hagar was trying to run away, God made promises to her about the descendants of her son, Ismael. So his descendants received blessings and promises as well. Just look it up! Sure they still fight with the descendants of Isaac but both received blessings and promises made by God.

So many people are missing out on their best life here on Earth because they are putting themselves above the place God wants in their lives. Donna’s “self” can’t do anything worth chatting about. I’m not proud of the things I do in the flesh. But when God is working, and I allow Him free reign and control of my heart — oh, that feels so much better than hatred, bitterness and meanness.

I know I write a lot about being prepared for eternity — and that is vital and that eternal destination can’t be altered once a soul dies. But walking with God doesn’t begin the moment our heart stops beating. The Bible says he knows us while we are still in our mother’s womb. He knows us before we are born.

It was obvious to me this week when the Bible says Sarai laughed to herself when she overheard God say she would deliver a child in the next year. God asked Abram why Sarai laughed. GOD KNEW HER THOUGHTS!

Just as crazy as it is that Siri and Alexa seem to be listening to our conversations and then we get ads about that topic. God already knows our thoughts before we say them outloud.

I think that’s why I’m so willing to be honest with God and pour my heart out when needed, because He already knows how I feel. Might as well get it out of my system and talk to Him about it. He’s the only one who can take care of it anyways.

And so many times, the hardships turn into blessings. Just like Abram and Sarai. The promised child did come into their family and they didn’t live to see all the descendants “as many as the stars,” but it did come true.

God always keeps His promises of blessings — and his promises of judgment. There is so much evil in the world, we think God must be asleep. Why is He allowing bad things to happen? Take heart. We live in a sinful wicked world. Pure evil is all around us.

Second Peter 2 talks about Sodom and Gomorrah and how God brought judgment on the wicked people and spared Lot and his family. Verse nine states, “… then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment …”

God will even up the score when He is ready to do so. It’s not up to us to go to Plan B and take control. But that’s hard to do, isn’t it? Especially when someone hurts a loved one. We want to get revenge. But “vengeance belongs to the Lord.” We’ve heard that too.

Don’t get ahead of God and try to take control. It never comes out well. Instead of dwelling on the evil around, think about the good things we are told in Philippians 4:8.

“Finally, brethren, (the preacher’s final words) whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

That’s the way to live … in God’s peace and blessings. Say “yes” to His offer of unconditional love and forgiveness today. You will not regret God’s Plan A.