It is not just God’s plan

By Steve Hall

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052723.cfm
Acts 28:16-20, 30-31
John 21:20-25

God is inscrutable. No question about it.

In the Old Testament this truth is regularly affirmed. In the New Testament, Paul affirms the truth more than once. "For who has known the mind of the Lord,or who has been his counselor?" (Romans 11:34)

Among the more peculiar manifestations of God’s inscrutability is his love for all His creation. And, like so many other general statements ‘The devil is in the details.’ Literally so, for God loves all His creation from the mother of His Son to the greatest of His angels, i.e., from the Virgin Mary to Satan himself.

Now let us be precise here when we speak of God’s love. We are not talking about feelings or decisions; rather we are talking about the fact that God wills the best for each and every part and parcel of creation, living or inanimate, spiritual or physical. Correspondingly, and contrary to our own human tendencies, Satan makes the list.

Things being what they are, we must also admit to a parallel truth: God has a plan for each and every creature that would enter into his kingdom. Now we’re not talking here about Paul’s teaching: “A plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in him [Jesus], things in heaven and things on earth.” No, the plan we are referring to is unique to each individual, personal and personalized. Just a brief reflection would make us aware of this necessity. In genetic make-up, in formational contacts, in parental instruction, in personalities evolved, in cultural style, in education provided, in relationships created . . . In these details and so many more there is a uniqueness that belies the possibility that ‘one size fits all.’ We conclude, therefore, that my journey to the kingdom will be molded by what I have been given to work with, and God’s plan for me will take these facts into account.

When we encounter Jesus’ words to Peter regarding the future of John — "What if I want him to remain until I come?” — we also encounter the reality that God does have personal, individual plans.

His plan for me is not the same as yours. Yet, in neither case is it just God’s plan; our lives also are a reflection of our own plan whether that is in conformity with God’s plan or not. There is an account in Jewish history which demonstrates this.

After the Israelites finally came to live in the land of promise, they found that their tribal independence and interdependence was not sufficient to protect them from neighboring tribes. (In point of fact that was true largely because they were not following God’s plan.) They complained to the Prophet Samuel: "Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint for us a king to govern us like all the nations." (1 Samuel 8:5) On God’s advice the prophet subsequently warned them of the danger in their request:

He said, ‘These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots; and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots.

He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants.
He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants.
He will take your menservants and maidservants, and the best of your cattleand your donkeys, and put them to his work.
He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.
And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves. (1 Samuel 8:11-18)

But they persisted. As a consequence, God granted their request; and the warning of the prophet eventually proved true. It may seem too obvious to say, but nevertheless, here’s the truth: God’s plan is always the better one. In the language of the Baltimore Catechism that plan is simply stated: God’s plan is that we should know, love and serve Him in this world and be happy with Him in the next. Because his plan is unique for each of us, it’s up to us to discover the details of what that means. Yet, we will not have to do that alone. He sends the Spirit as our guide.