Tag: God’s Plan

Nothing Wasted: Trusting God’s Purpose

It’s a bold statement when Jesus says, “The Lord needs it.” Just before His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, He asks His disciples to bring Him a colt. No lengthy explanations, no assurances for the colt’s owner — simply, “The Lord needs it.” To the owner, this colt may have been valuable or essential for work, but Jesus’ words demand a higher purpose for it. When something is needed for God’s purposes, no matter how mundane or precious, it’s never wasted.

Similarly, earlier in the Gospel accounts, we see Mary pouring costly perfume over Jesus’ head, a luxury that shocks the disciples as a “waste.” But Jesus defends her, framing her act as one of deep worship. “She has done a beautiful thing to me,” He says, indicating that her extravagant offering has profound meaning in God’s unfolding plan.

Our own lives often mirror these moments. We may be called to release what we value or find security in — our time, finances, talents — without clear assurances. Yet, when the Lord needs it, the act itself becomes sacred, filling it with purpose beyond our understanding. Just as Mary’s act became a testimony of love and faith, our sacrificial acts echo through God’s Kingdom in ways we may never fully see.

Trusting God’s purpose with our resources isn’t just about giving up; it’s about giving in to a greater story. Each offering, big or small, plays a role in something eternal. So when we’re prompted to step out in faith, remembering that “the Lord needs it” brings us into alignment with a purpose where, truly, nothing is wasted.

The Rock and the Stumbling Block: Lessons from Peter’s Journey

In Matthew 16:13-23, we see one of the most remarkable shifts in a disciple’s relationship with Jesus. It begins with Simon Peter’s stunning confession that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Jesus blesses Peter and renames him: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (v.18). But just moments later, Peter rebukes Jesus for predicting His suffering and death, and Jesus responds with one of the harshest rebukes in Scripture: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns” (v.23).

How do we reconcile these two events? How can Peter, in one moment, be called the foundation of the future church, and in the next, be likened to Satan? These contrasting scenes reveal deep truths about Peter’s journey and the tension in our own Christian lives.

When Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah, he is making a profound statement that demonstrates divine revelation. Jesus emphasizes this by saying, “flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven” (v.17). The name change from Simon to Peter (meaning “rock”) symbolizes stability and strength, qualities that will eventually characterize Peter’s leadership in the early church. Jesus’ promise to build His church on Peter is not simply about the man, but about the confession of faith that Peter makes—that Jesus is the Christ.

This moment is a picture of how God often works in our lives: He reveals truths to us and calls us to things we cannot fully grasp in the moment. Peter’s new name is a sign of the leadership role he will grow into, but it doesn’t mean he is fully formed or without weakness. This is crucial for understanding what follows.

Right after Jesus tells the disciples that He must suffer and die, Peter—likely filled with fear and confusion—takes Him aside and rebukes Him: “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” (v.22). Peter’s reaction, while emotionally understandable, is a rejection of Jesus’ mission. He cannot reconcile the idea of a suffering Messiah with his expectations of a victorious one. But by opposing Jesus’ path to the cross, Peter is unknowingly aligning himself with the same temptation Jesus faced in the wilderness—one that would have Him avoid suffering and take a shortcut to glory.

Jesus’ rebuke of Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!” is not a dismissal of Peter as His disciple but a sharp reminder of the danger of thinking from a purely human perspective. Jesus had just called Peter a “rock,” but in this moment, Peter becomes a “stumbling block.” The Greek word here, skandalon, refers to something that causes someone to trip. Peter, in his attempt to protect Jesus from suffering, becomes an obstacle to God’s plan of salvation.

Peter’s journey in this passage reflects the Christian experience in many ways. First, like Peter, we often receive divine revelation about who Jesus is and what He calls us to, but we may not fully understand the cost or the process. Peter wanted the glory of the Kingdom without the suffering of the cross. How often do we desire the benefits of following Jesus without embracing the hardships or sacrifices?

Second, Peter’s misstep shows us that it’s possible to be both called by God and still get things wrong. Jesus didn’t retract His promise to build the church on Peter after the rebuke. This is an important reminder: even when we fail, God’s calling on our lives remains. Jesus didn’t discard Peter for his misunderstanding; instead, He corrected him and continued to disciple him.

Finally, this passage teaches us that following Jesus means having “in mind the concerns of God, not human concerns” (v.23). It’s easy to be like Peter, to try to fit God’s plans into our limited perspective. But discipleship requires us to trust Jesus’ wisdom, even when it doesn’t align with our expectations. Peter thought he was helping Jesus by telling Him to avoid suffering, but in reality, he was working against God’s redemptive plan. Similarly, we might resist hardship in our own lives, not realizing that God often uses trials to shape us and accomplish His purposes.

Just as Peter had to learn that God’s ways are not his ways, we, too, must submit to Jesus’ lead, even when it takes us to uncomfortable or difficult places. The “rock” Peter would become was formed through a process of refinement, a journey of stumbling and restoration that mirrors the Christian walk.

Looking Isn’t Seeing, and Hearing Isn’t Listening

The disciples’ experience on the stormy sea teaches us a profound truth: we can look right at something and not truly see it. In Matthew 13, Jesus tells parables, and while the crowds hear Him, few really listen. Similarly, on the boat in Luke 8, the disciples see Jesus perform miracles but don’t fully understand what they’re witnessing. Even though they’d already seen Jesus heal the sick and cast out demons, they still didn’t expect Him to calm the storm with just a word. When the wind died down, they were shocked: “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!” (Luke 8:25).

The first lesson here is that it’s okay not to understand everything we see or hear at first. Like the disciples, we may have moments where we look at the world or even at God’s work and find ourselves confused. We might wonder why things happen the way they do or question God’s plans. That’s natural. But the key is what the disciples did next—they asked questions. Jesus’ closest followers were allowed to ask, to seek clarity about the parables and the mysteries of the Kingdom. When we seek God, asking questions and searching for understanding, we open ourselves up to receiving answers in time.

This brings us to the second takeaway: we must trust Jesus in the storms of life, even when we don’t fully understand. The disciples’ fear of the storm mirrored their fear of uncertainty—how could Jesus allow this to happen? But Jesus wasn’t simply focused on their safety; He was focused on their faith. He rebukes them for their lack of it, saying, “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25). Jesus never promised a storm-free life, but He did promise that He would be with us in the storm, and that’s where trust comes in.

William Lane Craig once said that God’s ultimate goal is not to provide a “comfortable home for His human pets,” but to accomplish His kingdom purposes, which sometimes means allowing difficulty. This perspective transforms our expectations. We may not have an easy life, but we know that God’s promises are trustworthy, and His goals go beyond our immediate comfort—they’re about His eternal Kingdom.

Just as the disciples didn’t understand at first how Jesus could have control over the forces of nature, we don’t always see how God is working in the chaos of our lives. But we do know enough: Jesus is with us, and His plans are good. In time, everything will be made clear, just as a lamp is brought out to shine and illuminate the darkness (Mark 4:21-23).

So, when we don’t understand, let’s keep asking questions, and let’s trust Him through the storm. After all, as Paul said, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8)—a far greater comfort than any temporary earthly relief.

Rules to Live By… Literally!

The Law of Moses was not only spiritual but eminently practical, designed to lead to human flourishing. When Nehemiah reflects on the people’s disobedience, he emphasizes that following God’s regulations brought life. This isn’t just because of obedience in the abstract, but because the Law itself was crafted to promote well-being. For Israel, it established principles that affected every aspect of life—hygiene, community health, justice, and economics. God’s commandments weren’t arbitrary; they protected and preserved life. For example, laws around cleanliness, dietary restrictions, and property rights were all geared toward a community that thrived physically, socially, and spiritually.

In Nehemiah’s time, the people’s neglect of these regulations was seen as the root of their misfortune, not because God was eager to punish, but because the natural consequences of disobedience were a breakdown in the fabric of society. The Law represented the very foundation of a life-giving order, and when they abandoned it, chaos ensued. God’s regulations are more than rules—they are guardrails that keep us from driving off the edge of a cliff. This is the heart of what Nehemiah meant by “people will find life if only they obey.”

Similarly, in the New Testament, Jesus speaks of bringing life, and life to the fullest. His message, like the Law before Him, was designed to bring healing, hope, and transformation to those who accept it. To those who reject it, however, the result is not life, but condemnation. The Apostle Paul speaks of this contrast clearly in 1 Corinthians 1:18, where he says, “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Those who see the Gospel as foolishness miss the life it offers. They reject it in favor of self-reliance or worldly wisdom, but like ignoring the laws of nature, there are inevitable consequences. Following Jesus isn’t just about spiritual salvation, although that is foundational. It’s also about living in alignment with the One who created us and knows what’s best for our flourishing. His teachings on forgiveness, generosity, humility, and love are keys to a life of meaning, joy, and peace. Rejecting this path leads to the opposite—broken relationships, bitterness, and ultimately, death.

The Law of Moses and the Gospel of Christ both offer a way to live in alignment with God’s will. When embraced, they bring life. When rejected, they bring condemnation. But in both cases, God’s desire is not punishment but restoration. The goal has always been that His people would choose life by choosing Him, for His commandments are not burdensome, but a reflection of His love and care for humanity’s well-being.

God’s Not Done With You Yet

Even in the darkest moments, when it feels like everything is lost or you’ve strayed too far from God, He still has a plan for you. This truth is powerfully illustrated in the lives of the exiles in Daniel 1 and the prophecy given in Jeremiah 19-20.

In Daniel 1, we see young men from Judah—Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—taken into Babylonian captivity. Despite Judah’s failures and the exile that resulted, God wasn’t done with these men. In fact, they were chosen for a special purpose: to stand as a testimony to God’s power and faithfulness in a foreign land. They remained committed to God, refusing to defile themselves with the king’s food, and God blessed their faithfulness, giving them wisdom and understanding beyond all others. Their story is a reminder that no matter how far we fall, God can still use us for His glory.

Similarly, in Jeremiah 19-20, the prophet Jeremiah faces immense opposition and personal suffering for delivering God’s message. Yet, God wasn’t done with him either. Even when Jeremiah was persecuted, thrown into stocks, and ridiculed, God continued to sustain him and speak through him. This persistence highlights God’s unwavering commitment to His people and His plan, even when they feel overwhelmed or defeated.

These stories remind us that God is never “done” with us, no matter our past mistakes or current struggles. He continues to love us, guide us, and use us for His purposes. We might face hardships, make mistakes, or feel like we’re not good enough, but God sees beyond our failures. He sees the potential for redemption, growth, and fulfillment of His divine plan in our lives.

When you feel like you’ve messed up too badly or that your circumstances are too bleak, remember that God is still at work. He is patient, loving, and always ready to bring you back into His fold. Trust in His plan, and know that He is not finished with you yet.

It Doesn’t Matter What Your Name Is!

Ruth is such a wonderful book. Especially coming off the disaster piece that is the end of Judges. This is a beautiful story and a much-needed palette-cleanser. Choosing what to focus on was challenging because I love so much of this story (ask me about the feet thing sometime).

What I’ve settled on is the other would-be redeemer’s name from the beginning of chapter 4. I guess what I really mean is the total LACK of a name for the other would-be redeemer from the beginning of chapter 4. The NET Bible literally translates his name as “John Doe”.

Now, the explanation is actually quite long, and involved, requiring a lot of historical digging and genealogies with a good understaffing of Greek grammar.

nah, jk. As The Rock would say, “It doesn’t matter what your name is!” Because it doesn’t matter! His name doesn’t matter! Boaz certainly knew it. The author of the book certainly knew it. Why was it left out of the story? No one knows for sure, maybe because they didn’t want to make him look bad in the story, maybe because he decided not to carry on the name of Mahlon, so the author decided not to carry on his name, but leave it lost to the dustbin of history. It’s difficult to say for sure, but at the end of the day it just doesn’t matter what his name is.

Here’s the thing: YOU CAN’T THWART GOD’S PLAN! If you decide not to do the right thing, if you decide that you don’t want to be the one to step into the call of God, then God will raise up someone else. And you’ll miss it! Don’t miss it! Don’t allow yourself to be old what’s-his-name because you were scared or had doubts or it was messy or it didn’t fit your pre-existing plan.

You want to see God show up big? YOU show up big! Meet Him there and watch what happens!

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