Promises for the New Year - Monday Moments with God

My Dear Child,

As you stand on the verge of a new year, please remember that only I know the future.

 I have plans for you this year that will help you to grow stronger in me. Though some things may hurt, remember I will never harm you because I love you and we have a future together, you and I.

Trust me with everything inside you and don't try to figure things out for yourself. Just take one day at a time and follow me - I'll keep you on the straight path. I am always at work, orchestrating the details of your life so that everything will fit together in my plan for you. I delight in making a way where there doesn't seem to be a way

Just hold my hand and walk with me in 2013.

Love, Jesus

Proverbs 3:5-6 (CEB) Trust in the Lord with all your heart; don’t rely on your own intelligence. Know him in all your paths, and he will keep your ways straight
Jeremiah 29:11 (ERV) I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.” This message is from the Lord. “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future.
Romans 8:28 (NLV) We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are chosen to be a part of His plan.
Isaiah 43:16, 18-19 NLV “This is what the Lord says, Who makes a way through the sea and a path through the powerful waters, “Do not remember the things that have happened before. Do not think about the things of the past. See, I will do a new thing. It will begin happening now. Will you not know about it? I will even make a road in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

God has a plan!

“God told us the secret of what He wanted to do. It is this: In loving thought He planned long ago to send Christ into the world. The plan was for Christ to gather us all together at the right time. If we are in heaven or still on earth, He will bring us together and will be head over all.” Ephesians 1:9-10 NLV

Reality TV shows are fun to watch. One of my favorites is "Chopped," a cooking show where four chefs compete for a $10,000 prize.

In each round there are four items in each chef's food basket, some unusual, some crazy and some normal items. They must choose what they will prepare and how to do it almost instantly as the items are revealed. I mean, really..., how can you incorporate gummy bears into a beef main dish? I'd have to think about that for quite awhile before starting to cook!

Then the fun begins as the clock starts ticking and they go to work creating their restaurant quality appetizers, main course and desserts in a short period of time.Usually something will go wrong - something burns, a key ingredient gets prepared, but left off the finished plate or they are working so hard and fast that they forget to season it properly.

At the end of each round, the dishes are judged on taste, creativity and presentation by a panel of three celebrity chefs who chop the least successful contestant from the competition. In the last round, one of the remaining two chefs is selected as the chopped champion.

While I enjoy watching it, I know I could never compete like that because my brain just doesn't work that fast. Whenever I do something, whether it's making a craft, cooking a meal or putting together a lesson for youth church, I have to have a plan. Then I have to plan how to execute my plan. And of course, I have to follow my plan. LOL!

Thankfully, God doesn't make up his plan for the world on the spur of the moment as time whizzes by. He lovingly thought things out and planned every detail of our lives as well as the details of the universe a long time ago. At just the right moment of time, he sent Christ to earth to fulfill that part of his plan. And he's still working to orchestrate the final phases of his plan to bring us together with him, with Christ as the head over all.

It's exciting to watch as God's plans for our lives come to fruition. We may have some nail-biting moments as we watch it all come together, and it may seem like it won't work, but the fact is, he has everything under control Unlike the chefs on "Chopped," every bite of God's plan will work perfectly with no failures or inedible results!

Thank you Lord for being in control of my life and of the world around me. Even when it seems chaotic, help me to trust your wisdom and your plans. Amen.