God’s Unique Plan
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Reflection
Past images of childhood days gathered forces
Demanding complete attention to matters still unsolved
Scenes of long past yesteryear
Conjured ghost to dread, and fear
Crowding corners long forgotten, while sores cankered there
Whispered words of girlish passion
Newly born from limbs immature
Sates the surge of manly pride, from a man, yet still a boy
Lips, bitten to hide tears brought by pain unaccustomed
Who could I ask what I should feel?
Oh so young and now a mother
Feel the child within me grow
Why didn’t someone tell me, it was not yet time for me to know?
Instead, I filled my innocent form with an equally innocent life
Who will surely take the blame, for my shame.
Where is my manly boy, whose need was so insistent?
Why was he allowed to melt within the shadow, while I,
Stood out a testimony of disgrace?
I could not have done this all alone, I cried!
Let him now stand by my side…
But no one cared
I looked around he was not there
Only me, with remnants of my pride
Standing, bare.
Copyright Elizabeth Maria Reynolds (Gallo) 1987
At the time I wrote this piece, my son was already an adult. And I, though still young, was also now an “adult.”
It was the year 1987, and earlier in the year, I had lost my second son. Needless to say I was in a pensive mood. Thinking over the moments in my life, and realizing that, being an unwed mother, at a young age, was nothing compared to losing my eight year old son.
I thought of the judgmental hypocrisy that surrounded me at the time, and two thoughts comforted, inspired, and motivated me;
1. I was the same age as Mary, when she had Jesus, and,
2. A verse from Jeremiah 29:11
11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
I have read that verse,many times since then, yet, it continues to unfold in levels of wisdom.
It’s true meaning and directive force reveals intricacies of value in understanding.
It seems pretty simple and clear cut, right?
But I was slowly coming to the understanding that the things we breeze through, thinking them rudimentary, are far more complex than we imagined.
Yes! God does have a plan for us
Yes! The plan is for good, and not disaster.
Yes! The plan is for us to have Hope,and future.
But, there are steps to take, choices to make, faithfulness to adhere to in our beliefs, account-abilities to face up to when we make the wrong choices, or stumble in our steps. It is not an easy road.
God is Supernatural, and, He can do all things, but He is not going to wave a magic wand and create an illusion so we can avoid the rough places.
If that was so, we would not have been gifted eternal life, because, Jesus would not have stayed on the cross. Can you imagine watching your only child being unjustly abused and killed. Who among us would have tolerated that, knowing we had the power to prevent it.
Yet long before we were formed, He made the choice. And kept the promise at the appointed time. All we are being asked to do in return, is to extend Love.
Humankind's biggest pet peeve, is;
“If God is good, why does he allow bad things to happen?”
One of the main answer is,“Free Will”
He has innately endowed us with the ability to choose. Our choices determine our path.
Here is something most of us did not consider, we are connected to each other in such a way, that our choices and actions, not only affect us, (ourselves individually), but it affects each other (collectively).
That is why Jesus taught, Mark 12:30-31 (NKJV)
30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Everything we do is connected to an equal and or opposite reaction!
Re·cip·ro·cal adjective
given, felt, or done in return.
synonyms:
given/felt in return, requited, reciprocated
"reciprocal love"
(of an agreement or obligation) bearing on or binding each of two parties equally. "the treaty is a bilateral commitment with reciprocal rights and duties"
synonyms:
mutual, common, shared, joint
Technical: a mathematical expression or function so related to another that their product is one.
Jeremiah 29:11
11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
He was telling us that we are connected in such a way, that our life’s choices are reciprocal! We cannot escape the equation. We are One, divided into many, but we are still subject to the core, or center (The source).
It’s been almost half a century since my son was born, and twenty nine years since my second son died. Where I am in my spiritual life, is directly connected to my determination to stand on faith. To follow God, and to hold on tenaciously to His faithfulness, through the storm. To Let all bitterness go, and know, that God never makes mistakes!
I've learned to “be still,” so that I can recognize my God’s voice above the cacophony of world dynamics.
Every now and then, at each milepost, I stop and marvel at how amazing my God is.
Still Unchanging, still Unstoppable, and Eternally faithful.
He is Good all the time, in all season, and He is immediately able to meet us at our need. all the time!
Be Blessed in Love and Light!
Elizabeth Maria Reynolds (Gallo)
Writer. Poet, Photographer