What’s the Plan Man, Week 3 Day 5, Genesis 49-50

What’s the Plan Man, Week 3 Day 5, Genesis 49-50

Partly it’s my personality.  Partly it’s from some of type of work that I’ve done.  But when it’s time to do something, a project, a large task, a trip, I like to know all the details.  I know some of that is from working on large projects, either managing them or working on them.  You’ve got tasks.  You’ve got milestones. You’ve got deadlines with (hopefully) well defined deliverables.  And you have the all important project calendar that tells you what is going to happen and when it’s going to happen.  All of this deigned to meet your project goals and deliver on time.

But the plan doesn’t work itself.  Everyone involved has to work on their own area and work the plan. They provide their requirements, estimates of what tasks and resources are required to complete the project.  They have to complete their tasks and give status on what they’ve done, what they haven’t done and any problems that they’re encountered.

And everyone knows what everyone else is doing because you have meetings, lots and lots of meetings.  When managing a large project, or a piece of a large project, it often feels like you meet about stuff more than you actually do stuff.  You meet with your team.  You meet with team leaders.  You meet with the boss and the boss’s boss.  You have team updates.  Status meetings.  Meetings to plan other meetings.   All so everyone can do what they need to do make sure that everyone knows what’s going on.  Those status meetings are also pretty handy when things go wrong.  You can spot problems.  You find out whose to blame for the problems and whose boss to call to “escalate” if the problems aren’t fixed in a timely manner.  Project managers are big on escalations.  You can get use to working in that way.

God definitely does not work that way.

Way back, when Joseph first had his dreams that his brothers and father would bow to him there was no project plan.  No meeting, “Okay Family, listen up.  God needs to get us all to Egypt a few years from now and here’s how He’s going to do it.  First, Joseph you have some dreams and make your brother mad.  Brothers, you plot to kill him but sell him into slavery instead.  Joseph, you get taken to Egypt….”  Year, pretty sure that meeting didn’t ever happen.

I’m not saying that God doesn’t have a plan.  (Attention grammar police, yes I used a double negative.  I know.)  God definitely has a plan.  But He doesn’t go over all the details with us, especially ahead of time.

So if you’re like me, waiting years, even decades to know what’s happening and why its happening, isn’t your strong suit.  But Joseph, apparently he’s okay with that.  When talking with his brothers who still fear retaliation, he says, “Don’t be afraid.  Am I in the place of God?  You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.  So then, don’t be afraid.  I will provide for you and your children.” 

And it’s not like Joseph doesn’t know how to plan.  Joseph must have been a great planner.  Remember, he was guy in charge of saving food during the seven good years and then rationing it out in the seven bad years, for an entire nation!  He even ender up with enough food stored so that he could help out the neighbors.  You don’t pull off that kind a project without some serious project management skills.  But the guy with the fourteen year plan to feed a nation is also the same guy who was willing to leave the really big picture stuff to God.  He’s willing to let God have control, even control in an area that’s his strength, long range planning. 

Now that is faith. 

We like to know what God is doing in our life.  But it’s easy to be obsessive about it.  I got a fix-it ticket, but that was God telling me to get the car fixed.  Didn’t get that class I wanted, God must want me to change my major.  Car would start, God probably saving me from an accident.  I’m not saying God doesn’t care or isn’t involved in the day to day stuff.  But He’s so much bigger than that.  He has so much more planned for us than just today.  And all the messed up bad stuff that happens in our lives, well the world may intend us evil, but God will use it for good.  And that’s whether I understand God’s plan  or not.

God, I know you have a plan and a purpose for my life, but I really struggle with seeing what it is.  I’d like some really clear directions, step A, step B, etc.  But You simply don’t work that way.  Help me to be more like Joseph, committed to working hard, doing what is right, trusting in You  and always ready to give You the credit.  A bit less questioning and a little more following.  Amen

Leonard