You know what, friends, making plans would be a whole lot easier if we were to know the outcome beforehand! Imagine how amazing trips would be if we were to know exactly how the weather would progress or if the travel arrangements would work out. Imagine if we could know exactly everything that was going to go wrong, and then we could make the necessary adjustments. We could predict flight delays, traffic jams, rainouts, hotel mistakes, restaurant waits, and much, much more! Every day would be preplanned, rehearsed, and play out exactly as we would want it to. It would be paradise, right?

Maybe…not so much.

This past week, I had the opportunity to renew the wedding vows of a couple who had been an important part of my ministry. The ceremony was taking place at the Aquarium Restaurant in Kemah, Texas. I decided, instead of going by myself, I would take my four-year-old daughter Shiloh along and plan some fun activities for the two of us! I had it all planned out, a day at the beach, ice cream, train rides, a harbor and dolphin tour, plus much more! When we first arrived in Kemah, we checked into the hotel on the Boardwalk. She immediately wanted to ride the little park train that ran around the entire campus, so we made our way to the ticket booth. The train had just left, and there wasn’t another ride scheduled for an hour! So, we decided to go to the beach and have dinner in Galveston. We pulled into Target to get some beach stuff, and by the time we had all our items and made our way to the exit, there was a tropical downpour deluge roaring outside. So, we had to put the beach on hold. This became a recurring theme of the trip. Everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, I planned for our time together had to be adjusted or changed due to weather or other issues.

The following day, I sat parked on the seawall in Galveston. Once again, watching as the rain poured down on the beach, we were supposed to be searching for shells and splashing in the waves. I called my wife in desperation, claiming, “Everything I’ve planned has just fallen apart!” I whined about the weather and about my preplanned schedule being disrupted. My wife, Andrea, in her truest wisdom, reminded me that it wasn’t about the events or the schedule; it was about the time with my daughter. “Just go have fun and find new things to do!” Andrea said, “She won’t remember the mistakes, she will remember having fun with her daddy!” From that point on, it simply became an adventure with Dad!

And you know what? We still had to do all the things I had planned, we had train rides, playing on the beach, seashell searches, dolphin tours, and ice cream (multiple times in fact). But we did it out of order and on different days or times. We also got to do extra things, like go through museums, watch the boats in the harbor, and watch our favorite cartoons. And we had wonderful times just like dad and daughter. As she went to bed those nights, she said, through big yawns, “Daddy, this was a super fun day!” And you know what…it was.

How often do we miss out on the beautiful opportunities God presents us simply because it doesn’t happen the way we plan? We become so obsessed with exactly the way things are going to happen, or should happen, that we miss the actual moments of the happening! We miss the points, the lessons, the memories, the love! All because it doesn’t fit into our preconceived plans.

We did this to Jesus, you know! The religious people all felt like they KNEW what the messiah would look like when he arrived. They KNEW was the savior of the world and how he would act. He would be a conqueror, a warrior, a king who would destroy their enemies. And then Jesus arrived. He was so different from their expectations that they rejected and crucified him! Let me change that phrasing a bit…Christ was so different from our OWN expectations that WE crucified him. Even though he conquered sin, he was Lord over us all, and he destroyed the greatest enemy of all, death. It raises the question, would we crucify Christ all over again today if he were to appear as he did two thousand years ago, simply because he wouldn’t fit into our view of him?

2nd Peter speaks about God’s own timing and planning, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

God’s plan is the perfect will for YOUR life. And we would do well to rely upon him more to open our eyes and souls to that journey. We must learn not to reject the adventure because it is not happening in the way we wish. But instead, look for the opportunities around us and within us to take each day and use it to God’s glory.

One final thought, the place where God’s will is supremely done, followed, and obeyed is called heaven! What do you think the place is called in which human beings’ will is supremely done, God’s will is not followed, and we are left to our own devices and plans? Think about it…

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Pastor Mike McVey
Minister – First United Methodist Church, Fairfield, TX
ACS Chaplain – United States Coast Guard, Station Galveston, TX