God and His Plan

DEVOTION
2 TIMOTHY

GOD AND HIS PLAN


2 Tim 1:8-10

8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life — not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
NIV

A large quality of thoughts here, yet I could not break it up or down into a smaller chunk. They is one thing I do know for sure and that is I am not ashamed to be a believer or to say anything to anyone about my beliefs. There are a few people I am in contact with who may fall into the category of swine and I will not throw Christ under their bus, but I also cannot dust my feet off either. But that is not being ashamed, it is simply knowing their absolute vehement rejection of the Gospel message in words and thus I attempt to live it in out in deeds in hopes someday they will not refuse the Holy Spirits prompting. Again I do not think I would call my life one of suffering and I certainly am not in chains or in prison because of my faith, but I am still saved and called to a holy life. I also am fully aware it is not because of anything I have done. God’s power is at work in every person, attempting to reach through the hardness of their hearts as he did in me. He does that because of his own purpose. The reason I am saved is not about me but it is about him. True, I have eternal life, but the reason I am saved is for his purposes, not for mine. I am simply his servant, saved to do his will, his purpose, his plans. I think one of the incredible truths within the scriptures is this statement that even before the thing we call time, the linier existence of mankind, before the creation of this world and all that is in it, God already had it determined to reveal his plan for redemption from my sin by sending Jesus Christ to die on the Cross of Calvary. It may be difficult for some people to grasp hold of that concept, believing that is too far-fetched. But I have absolutely no problem at all. I accept that God is not limited to time and space. I believe he has always known what his plan was before he gave Adam that simply standard to live by. I believe he has always known what Adam would do and what everything else would happen before he even started with creation. If he did not know, then he would not be God. It is that simply. All I know is I am and will be forever thankful for God and his plan.