Dear friends

Do you make plans and then find they don’t go how you intended?  I recently had a short boating holiday planned with a friend but the boat was still “under maintenance” so we booked a campsite instead.  My friend duly arrived with camping gear, drove on to the campsite, and his car got stuck.  The manager came in his truck to pull us out, but failed and got stuck himself so he phoned the local farmer, who came and moved both vehicles with his tractor!

The following day we set out to walk along the beach but, approaching Eccles, we had to divert inland: a very high tide and strong NE wind meant that waves were crashing up on to the sea wall and there was nowhere to walk.  Later, back near Sear Palling, the sea was still far too rough for our planned swim.

There are occasions in the bible when we find that people made plans that appeared not to work out: Jairus sent for Jesus to heal his daughter – but she died before Jesus reached her;  Peter planned to be loyal to Jesus, but failed before the cock crowed 3 times.  But let’s remember “what happens next”: Jesus raises Jairus’ daughter to life – a greater sign of God’s power than a healing would have been; Peter is forgiven and goes on to be a leading figure in the formation of the Christian church.

For a year and a half, our plans have been thwarted by Covid – or at least, by restrictions put in place to protect us from it.  Even now, when many restrictions have been removed, we are still being advised to follow guidance and limitations remain, particularly in relation to travel.

Jeremiah 29:11 says

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

As we journey on together in the coming weeks and months, “Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end” (Heb 12:2 GNT) and trust Him to lead us in His ways, with the very best plans for each of us.

Ian