“Come
Over To Macedonia And Help Us”
Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region
of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the
word in the province of Asia.
When they came
to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia,
but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the
night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come
over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready
at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the
gospel to them.
Acts
16:6-10
Jane’s plans to become a speech
therapist ended when an internship revealed the job was too emotionally
challenging for her. Then she was given the opportunity to write for a
magazine. She’d never seen herself as an author, but years later she found
herself advocating for needy families through her writing. “Looking back, I can
see why God changed my plans,” she says. “He had a bigger plan for me.”
The Bible has many stories of
disrupted plans. On his second missionary journey, Paul had sought to bring the
gospel into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus stopped him (Acts 16:6–7). This must have seemed
mystifying: Why was Jesus disrupting plans that were in line with a God-given
mission? The answer came in a dream one night: Macedonia needed him even more.
There, Paul would plant the first church in Europe. Solomon also observed,
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that
prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).
It’s sensible to make plans. A
well-known adage goes, “Fail to plan, and you plan to fail.” But God may
disrupt our plans with His own. Our challenge is to listen and obey, knowing we
can trust God. If we submit to His will, we’ll find ourselves fitting into His
purpose for our lives.
As we continue to make plans, we can
add a new twist: Plan to listen. Listen to God’s plan.
How
can you submit your plans to God today? How can you listen to His plans?
All-knowing
God, give me the faith to listen to You when my plans are disrupted, knowing
that You have a greater purpose for my life.
Our
Daily Bread – March 5, 2020