Last month while we were at Disney World, one afternoon we staked out a spot on the curb so we could watch the parade. The crowd grew and the anticipation heightened until finally the loudspeakers blared the music and the procession began. All the characters and supporting cast passed by to upbeat music and lively choreography. And while it was Disney World, and the whole thing made some sense just for that fact alone, it fit together better if you paid attention to the song. Granted, I didn’t pay rapt attention. I was busy trying to identify the characters, point them out to my youngest one and take pictures, but the order the characters appeared wasn’t random. It was purposeful, and the song clued you in on that.
We have times in our lives – maybe more often than not – that are a lot like watching a parade, and not necessarily for the fun and excitement. People and events pass before us and we struggle to understand how and why things happen at that time, to those people (or us), in that way. We get busy trying to identify and explain it all, and we forget it’s following a plan. However, if we pay attention the lyrics, to the Word, then we begin to grasp the hows and whys.
Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7
See that. The Lord doesn’t do anything outside the plan revealed in His word. He gave us the plan so we wouldn’t lose hope when things seem bewildering at best or an insane mess at their worst. Our frustration comes because He doesn’t spell out in specific intricate detail what He’s doing and why. We want to know Mickey and Minnie will be on the lead float, followed by Pinnochio in a mock-up of Gepetto’s shop. There will be twelve floats in all with three dozen other characters walking, and three dozen cast members. (I really didn’t count. I was on vacation.) But we feel secure with that level of detail. At least I do.
And that’s the thing. Perhaps God doesn’t tell us everything so that our security rests, not in our knowledge of the details, but in the One who arranges them.
I hate not knowing all the details 🙂 But I trust He has told all we NEED, even it’s not all we WANT.
(It’s hard for believers to understand, too.) It is true that our brains are wired to look for patterns. If there is no God behind it, than we are left to meaningless randomness. I much prefer believing in God.
This is something that is very hard for non-believers to comprehend. I’ve heard atheist state that religion has a placebo effect and that Christians are merely making random events appear to be part of a bigger plan in their own mind.
Lately, this has been important to me. It’s been crucial to see that God has a plan that’s active and He has everything under control. Since my future is sort of unfolding at a pace I didn’t think was possible, I like knowing that God is still sovereign. You’re right when you say we’re secure in detail. If we know everything, we feel okay.
This is a relevant post for me. Excellent!