New Year. New Beginning? God Is Working Out His Plan

January 5, 2022·Elizabeth Ewens

Our first Pause devotional for the year, 2022. This week, we are reading in Genesis and Luke. Genesis is all about beginnings. Genesis records the accounts of God’s plan for His creation and His people. But, it doesn’t go according to God’s original plan of abiding with His people in a beautiful garden, all glory — no sin. We humans ruined that plan. But God promised a Savior. And in Luke, chapter two, we read the account of Jesus’ birth on earth. The Savior is born! Finally, the King has come. We just celebrated Christ’s birth, Christmas.

I want to take a couple minutes and take a closer look at Jesus’ birth, as recorded in Luke 2. I don’t think many things went according to Mary and Joseph’s plan.

They had to leave their hometown and travel (walking and riding on a donkey!), because the government issued a decree that everyone had to go to be registered in the town of their family origin.
Once they got to Bethlehem, they couldn’t find a room to rent, so they stayed in an animal stable.
Mary had to deliver her baby (the Son of God!) in a stable and use a manger as His bed.
If that wasn’t bad enough, angels told a group of shepherds about the birth, so they went into town to find the baby. Think about that for a minute: Mary and Joseph believed their baby was Jesus, the Son of God, yet the best they could do was a stable. Then guests arrived!

Reminds me of some of my own plans. I think I’m going to do such and such, but those plans don’t go like I planned. And there have been times I’ve messed things up to the point I was not sure I could get back on track.

BUT, GOD…

Just as God was working out His plan for His Son, Jesus, to enter the world to save it, He was there working out every twist, turn, obstacle, every “Are you sure about this, God?” moment. Just like He does with you and me.

This is a new year for us. I can safely say that the past two years have not gone according to any of our plans. Maybe for you, the things that have happened are the opposite of what you planned. But, you and I can know for certain that when we put our faith in God, He is working everything for our good — He is working out His plan.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Jesus fulfilled His purpose and became our Savior, our King, our Lord. And God will help us fulfill our purpose, as we trust Him. Let’s start this new year together, believing that God is working out His plan for you and me and our church.

Pastor Elizabeth Ewens