Photo by Tabea Damm on Unsplash
Dear First Family and Friends,
Summer’s here. With it, many of us are planning our vacations (or have already taken vacations we planned). Planning ahead, for some of us, helps ensure we can relax a little more because – we’ll know ahead of time what we need to go where we’re going so we can do what we want when we get there. “Winging it” – another approach – can be exciting and it can work. But, having a plan, even if it changes, helps things go a little more smoothly in most cases.
Even God plans ahead. When Adam and Eve fell into sin … not part of God’s original plan when He created all things … God made a new plan. Paul opens his letter to the Ephesians with God’s plan, made known to us through His Word – given to His prophets and the Apostles through the Holy Spirit. Paul says that God has made “known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Ephesians 1:9-10).
God’s plan – first made known to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:15) and continually made known to men and women like Abram and Sarai (Genesis 12:1-3), Ruth (Ruth 4:11-22), David (1 Chronicles 17:7-15), and all the prophets – is to redeem His creation and bring it back into unity through His Son, Jesus Christ. And you and I, along with all who believe in God’s word and promises, placing our hope and trust in Jesus, are included in this plan. God has planned ahead to save us also (Ephesians 1:4-5).
We are among those who have “heard the word of truth, the gospel of (our) salvation, and believed in Him” (Ephesians 1:13). As a result, we live with the guarantee of eternal life. It’s not ours to see – yet – but we know it’s coming. Thanks be to God for His perfect planning – and for including us in it ahead of time.
Your Brother in Christ,
Pastor Jim