Plans

By now it is probably too late to wish you a Happy New Year. And I actually did that last week. But here’s a question for you. Not trying to make you mad. But have you broken any (or all) of your New Year’s resolutions yet?  Yeah, how long does it take? 

            I’m not one to make a formal list of resolutions for the new year. But I do, at this time every year, take just a bit of time to think about what I would like to accomplish in the days to come.  I try to have goals and plans to better myself. I have ideas that I would like to see our church accomplish. 

            For some people January 1 is just another day, or perhaps a day to watch football and parades.  For me it is a time to consider what comes next.  My long-range plans don’t extend as far as they once did. And there are things I once did that no longer make the list. Still, it is a good time to think about what comes next.

            The truth is that we don’t know all that 2026 will hold.  Six years ago I was barely a month into my new ministry at Shellman Bluff Baptist.  I was completely unaware that the world was about to change.  In just a few weeks we had been introduced to online worship, drive-in worship, “social distancing,” and many other new concepts we would just as soon forget.  We made it through, and our church is much stronger today.  But who knew? Again, we don’t know the future.

            As James told us in his short letter, we need to say that we will do something, “if it is the Lord’s will.” We can make plans, but those plans may have to change.  Only God knows the future. And He holds it in His hand, just as He holds us. We can trust Him. 

            I pray that you will do just that. Trust the Lord for today, tomorrow, next week, and all eternity. He is trustworthy.  He will never forsake you. You can count on Him.