March 31: Of someone else’s sandals, and Someone Else’s plans

Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20

Luke 9:7-27

Psalm 72:1-20

Proverbs 12:8-9

Let's put ourselves in others' shoes.  Or sandals, as would be the case.

Let's put ourselves in the sandals of the five thousand, who'd come to see Jesus, hear Him speak, watch Him heal.  The day's been long, they have nothing to eat.  At some point, perhaps, doubt sets in - "what am I doing here?  I'm hungry…how far do I have to go to get a bite to eat - and is there going to be enough?"

Let's put ourselves in the apostles' position.  They knew the five thousand were hungry.  They knew they had no food to feed them.  At some point, perhaps, doubt set in as well - what are we to do with these people?  If the Master's miracles,  might they expect to be fed as well?  And as we have nothing to feed them, what might they do?

The five thousand and the disciples, they had a plan A - to send everyone to nearby towns to find food. But they didn't really need to do any work - Jesus was going to do it for them.  Jesus had a Plan Be - Be Still and Know that I am God.  Praise God.  

Tonight, as darkness falls on Black Saturday, let's put ourselves in the fearful hearts, the terrified minds, the guilty consciences of all those who followed Jesus, whom they expected would liberate Israel from the Romans, who saw the torture He endured, who witnessed the death He suffered, who were too scared to stand up in His defense, who thrice denied Him after they'd been warned.  At this point, confusion and doubt, anger and recrimination, sadness and hopelessness reign.   What else is there for them to do?

Jesus's followers, they all had a plan A - to follow Jesus to victory against the Romans, to freedom for Israel.  Now they feared recrimination; they feared they might have to fight.  But they didn't, really - Jesus was going to do all the work.  Jesus had a Plan Be - Be Still and Know that I am God.  Praise God. 

Today, it's easy to be still on Black Saturday.  We remember what He told us - "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."  We know Easter is coming, the tomb will open and we will find it empty.  

But Black Saturday shows itself in many ways.   This week it was my intention to go to work, to do as much of what needed to be done as possible.  And on Sunday, I pulled a muscle in my back, pain so bad I had to crawl to stand.  I was angry, and I feared for deadlines and targets missed.  But I couldn't move.  What else was there for me to do?

I pray I learn the lesson.  I had a plan A.  But Jesus - well He has a Plan Be.  And it would be good for me to choose His plans over mine every time.  

Thank You, God, that in the midst of the darkness of Black Saturday and the frustration we may encounter in our daily livers, when things don't turn out the way we planned, we can fall back on your Plan Be.  We can rest in the knowledge that You are in control.