The best-laid plans ...!

The heading is, of course, from the poem by Rabbie Burns - To a Mouse, (1786). It tells of how he, while ploughing a field, upturned a mouse's nest. The resulting poem is an apology to the mouse, and the heading continues: "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley, [often go awry].  An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain, for promised joy."

Those are words that have been much on my mind in recent days.  As I type (and, as an aside, I downloaded a 'secure' programme, a couple of evenings ago, in order to be able to open up a file sent by a fellow clergyman - and ended up with a totally unresponsive laptop.  I have spent a lot of the time since in refreshing the machine; downloading software available on the internet; and wishing that I had access to the software discs that are in the flat in Wishaw, while I am in the static in S.W.France!) we (my wife and I) are going through a difficult time with regards to the Lord's guidance.  Indeed, this has been the case for some months. 

The original 'plan' (ours!) was that the house in Motherwell would be sold by June 2014.  In a difficult housing market, this was to be the ultimate sign that we were in the Lord's will regarding our move to France.  That plan went well "a-gley"!  As many are aware, the house didn't sell until November - and we didn't have access to the funds until the latter half of January!   Of course, that was another part of the 'plan' that went "a-gley".  We received some £30k less than we had expected - and £45k less than the valuation!   The knock-on effect is, of course, a reduced number of euros available for a purchase here - even with the improved exchange rate!   That, in turn, means that we are experiencing some difficulty finding a suitable property in the greater Bergerac area, at a price that we can currently afford.  Indeed, we are already looking further afield, while still keeping an eye out for possibilities within that greater Bergerac area.

It's all to do with guidance.  I have been known, often, to say that what I want is a postcard delivered to me each morning.  That postcard would be postmarked "Heaven"; signed "Father God"; and would have a list of 'bullet-points' providing me with my 'guidance' for the day!   Regretfully, in His own wisdom and economy, Father God doesn't work like that!

So, how does He work?  I would suggest that He does so in a number of different, but complementary, ways.  What I wish to do must be in accordance with His written Word - the Bible.  In other words, I cannot say that I believe that the Lord is guiding me to rob a bank.  This is the same Lord Who, as we noted a few posts back, prohibits the taking of that which is not my own.  Secondly, it must be in line with the gifting with which He has provided me.  By that I mean that there it would be stupid of me to arrive at the A&E Department of a large hospital and inform them that the Lord had guided me to assist with emergency admissions!   Mind you, even if qualified, I would hope that proper checks would be made before I was allowed near to a patient!  Thirdly, I should take into account the counsel of trusted Christian friends, who know me, and who will pray the situation through with me.  Finally, I must take account of my personal circumstances.  By that, I mean that I would be foolish to think that the Lord was calling me to Japan.  My fluency in the French language may still leave a lot to be desired - but even basic knowledge of Japanese is totally foreign to me (no pun intended!).

Where does this leave us?   Well, we know that Father Good has a plan for our lives - individually, and as a couple.  We know that He is Sovereign over all that He has created.  Therefore we may trust Him to take us to where He wants us to be; in order that we may do what He wants us to do; at the time that He wants us to do it!   We are assured of His love, and His care.  Therefore, "we do not lose heart" (I Cor.4:1).

Perhaps you are going through a similar situation, in which all of your carefully-laid plans appear to be unravelling!  May I commend to you the same Father God?  Place your trust in Him to guide you through this present circumstance, and throughout your whole life.  That starts with the admission that you are, in His sight, a sinner; that there is nothing that, alone, you can do about that; that you deserve nothing but His wrath and punishment.  That, one might say, is the 'bad news'!  The Good News is that He has already, in the Persona (remember, that is not a typo!) of the Son, paid the penalty.  That means that His perfect justice is satisfied, by an act of His perfect love.  It means that you, and I, may accept that wonderful sacrifice, and we may go free!   Oh, and because that is God's plan, it never goes "a-gley"!

The best-laid schemes ...!

It was the Scottish Bard, Rabbie Burns who, in his poem  On Turning Her Up In Her Nest With The Plough (1785), penned the words: "The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men gang aft agley".  I was reminded of those words yesterday!

The day started as expected when my wife and I took our younger daughter to hospital, for an operation.  Mind you, even that caused a change to our earlier plan.  We had expected this evening, to be stopping overnight with dear friends in Maidstone, Kent, en route to France.  The medical/surgical emergency led to that journey being postponed for a few days, as we went back this morning to collect her, and want to spend a couple of days with her before departing!   

However, it was as we returned from the hospital yesterday, that we received a 'phone-call.   Our elder daughter was heading up to the A&E Department in our local hospital with, it appeared, something stuck in her throat.   That call had hardly finished before we received yet another - this time it was our son-in-law (elder daughter's husband), informing us that the clutch in their car had given up, and that our daughter was making her way to the hospital by bus.  

We had to pass where the (now non-operating) car was, so we stopped to assist in pushing it to a place of greater safety, and less obstruction, and then went up to the hospital.  That involved a long wait - first of all until our daughter was called into the examination rooms, and then while she awaited the arrival of a doctor to provide the aforementioned examination!  By the time we took her back home, it was about 2100 hrs!

So why do I share all of that family news?  Well, as the opening paragraph suggests, none of what has happened in the past thirty-six hours was in our original planning for the period.  However, there is something else.  Anyone who has purchased my book, Great Words of the Faith (either as a paper-back, or as a Kindle e-book), and actually read it, will be aware of the way in which I see the relationship between tome and eternity.  By the way, if you haven't purchased, and read, I would encourage you to do so.  Anyway, although we were 'caught on the hop' with these recent events, Father God wasn't!  Before any of us were even born, He not only 'knew what would, in time, happen', but also, from His eternal perspective, saw it happening!   If that blows your mind, even a little, you really do need to purchase the book!  (Details at the top of the page).

However, this is where the disciple of Jesus may have a deep assurance.   I know that nothing - absolutely nothing - happens, or can happen, without His knowledge and permission.  That's why Paul was able to write those amazing words: "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose." (Rom 8:28).

I may not always understand His ways; but I may always rest in the assurance of His love, and of His sovereign power and authority.  May you who read be able to do likewise.