God Loves You and Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life

written by Jessica Sanford, a Sun Ministries missionary

“God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.”

I’m sure by now, millions of people— Christian or not— have heard this statement. It’s interpreted most often through our individualistic filters. God wants me to be a pastor! God wants me to get married! God wants me to be a poodle groomer!

There is one caveat. The thing most people don’t tell you about God’s wonderful plan for your life... This plan is the same plan for every person who submits themselves to His will.

It’s not a plan to make you comfortable and rich. Not to fan the flames of your ego. Not to make you “the man” or give you a long, fulfilling ministry. It’s not even for you to be a designer dog groomer.

“You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

Hebrews 12:18-29

If we look to the whole of scripture, we see a different plan. We see something wholistic. We see a plan that is about much more than our own desires.

His plan for you: to refine you by fire in order to bring you into His Kingdom purpose

What is His kingdom purpose?

• God is gathering His people to Himself. John 4:34-38 paints a picture of a field that is ready to be harvested, and all of the people involved in the growth working together to gather. We have the privilege of being a part of this harvest, even if we didn’t do the work of sowing or growing.
• God is setting apart a people. (Titus 2:11-14) This people keeps itself from the corruption of the world and fervently seeks to do good works.
• He is adorning His Bride (Revelation 21). The fulfillment of His kingdom purpose is that Christ’s bride would be spotless, pure, and adorned with good works.

The thing most people aren’t told about God’s plan for them is that It has very little to do with YOU and everything to do with what God wants to do in partnership with you.

Are you willing to lay yourself down in order to accomplish His Kingdom purpose?

Returning to Action

A message from our executive director, Dr. Terry Goodwin.

It has been a long time. Life goes on and the ticking clock pushes us closer to the end of this life. Tick – tock – tick – tock clicks the passing of the chronos  - the finite time we have on this earth. A few years ago I came face to face with my mortality. I had 16 surgical procedures in 2 ½ years. I thought I may never work again. The end of my calendar was staring me in the face. In that dark and desperate time I found a second chance at life. The Kairos of God swept in and I was lifted up again to continue the work He had called me to do all those years ago.

I am no different than you really. We all will leave this earth. We will all succumb to the Chronos ticking clock. No one gets out alive. Throughout the New Testament there is an urgency proclaimed: Repent, the Kingdom of God is at hand. They lived and acted as if the return of Christ could happen at any time. The measure of our service will not be placed upon scales balanced by wealth, possessions or church attendance. The other side of the scales of God’s justice are balanced by obedience, sacrifice, and the deeds we do in service to God on behalf of others.

Now I am focused on the Kingdom of God. I am looking at my mortality as an unknown deadline to complete the work I have been assigned to do. I cannot afford to waste another moment of self-indulgence or indifference to the hurting. We all end up in the cemetery. The Chronos seeks to put us there. The Spirit of God seeks to give us life in this age through the selfless service to others on behalf of Jesus. That is where I found life. I will not exchange it for the fleeting temporary pleasures of this world.