There is an old expression, “People plan. God laughs.” I don’t know if God was laughing last Tuesday but for the second time we had to postpone our annual church conference meeting. In January I was sick and last week we had the snowstorm. So we are going to try again and have rescheduled our state of the church address for Tuesday, March 22, at 7:00 pm.
Just a little preview of that meeting: The state of the church is very strong. We have brought back most of the ministries that were affected by COVID and many of them are bigger and better than before the pandemic. We have started several new efforts and plan on starting several more in 2022. People have been very generous and we have maintained our budget, given thousands to missions, and paid down our mortgage at an accelerated rate. God is good.
But God doesn’t operate according to our schedules. You know this. Think of all the times in your life when you had plans but found God’s schedule was a little different. I know that I am often thanking the Lord (after the fact) that my prayers were answered according to God’s time, not mine. One time I even wrote a song with that title.
It’s never easy when things don’t go according to our plans. We are so sure that our timing is the correct timing. But I think the One who holds all of time in His hands has a better idea of when things should happen than we do. So I will not worry, and just trust in God’s timing. I hope you will, too.
Speaking of timing, it’s that time of year. Lent begins this Wednesday and we will have an Ash Wednesday worship service at 7:00 pm, March 2. Our youth leader intern, Duncan Kusant, will deliver the message and Craig Wasner will be leading us in song.
Pastor Mark
“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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” – Jeremiah 29:11-12