As we look around at our world today and see wildfires, hurricanes, an unending pandemic, divisions among  peoples, hatred among races, lack of civility and judgments made almost everywhere. We may wonder if God really has a plan.

Well, God certainly does, and it’s for everyone, but every person lives it uniquely.  What is this plan?  Let me quote my mother: “God’s plan is to get us from here to there.” She explained this great hand demonstrations: Thumbs down for here and thumbs up for there.

My mother saw a modest plan: “God simply wants all creation in heaven when this life is over.”  Of course my mother added: “Jesus shows us the way. But how we follow Jesus differs with each person.”

Our God is a truly wise Lord.  He gives us a personality, interests, gifts, looks, talents, likes and dislikes, and then he says get a dream and grow. Of course, God will help us and so will the Holy Spirit. It sounds simple, but acting it out can be tough. It’s because of our choices. 

Take  for example his chosen people. Yahweh lead them from slavery in Egypt to the promised land. Passing through the desert, the sun was too hot, the ground too sandy, the air too buggy plus they did not have enough food or water. 

They moaned and groaned, yearning for the good old days in Egypt. They forgot the pain, the suffering, the lost freedom, remembering only the scanty comforts of Egypt and none of the discomforts. Then they built idols and worshipped them to bring back those good happier days.

They let their distractions and dreams build an alternative reality.   Now it is all about them, forgetting the  covenant and  promises they and Yahweh agreed.  These wandering Israelites developed misconceptions and attractions toward idolatry. As someone once said :“There is a detachment in every attachment, an emptying with every filling and a death in every life.” What these wandering chosen people were experiencing is the same dynamic.

They gave into idols which diluted their love and stifled the covenant.  They forgot what they knew about Yahweh and his love for them and turning inward let idol worship easily overtake them.

This same phenomenon can also touch our own faith journey.  God the Father has the answer. He advises strongly: “Get to know Jesus, my son, and listen to him.”

Jesus reminds us  “No one can serve two masters” even if we do so secretly. Divided hearts along with other harmful forces weaken our faith commitments. This cloud that darkened the sight of the Israelites in the desert will do the same to us. 

As we follow Jesus and come to know him intimately, we will always recognize idols that separates Jesus from us.  Our many joys and sorrows, successes and failures, profits and losses will be seen as part of God’s loving plan, unfolding in our lives and in our times.

This understanding of our faith, the accepting of our place in the kingdom, and our identifying with Jesus our savior only happens through a vibrant and loving relationship with Jesus, the way to his father.

With the gift of grace as our shield, fresh air will stop sin from choking us. Grace’s bright lights  will disperse  all doubt and disbelief. Grace will shower hope when drought smothers love.  Grace brings the good fortune of changing every dead-end into a right or left turn. 

God’s plan of getting  to know Jesus does have many benefits. For Jesus looks beyond all those external qualities that may throw most people off and finds goodness that few others ever look deep enough to find.  Indeed, “Get to know Jesus, my son, and listen to him.” If we do this, every life will be changed forever, and it is suitable for everyone.