Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Plans and Goals
There are plans and then there are goals. It is an important distinction. A plan is a detailed thing and it does not flex very well with changing conditions. The old military adage says something about "the best plan does not survive the first shot."
Well, Milt Stanley links to Larry Chouinard who extensively quotes John Goldingay:
And the takeaway from my perspective is that we have an active role to play in God accomplishing His goals. While indeed, our New Testament theology teaches us it is all about God, we are still the instruments of His desire. Our "job" under such circumstances is not to discover "God's plan for our lives," but rather to discover God's goals for us and for humanity and then work with Him to align ourselves with and work towards those goals. We are to become part of the team.
A paraphrase of Kennedy's famous quote seems apropos, "Ask not what God can do for you, ask what you can do for God."
But what is amazing is that we will in the course of so asking, discover what we are meant to be, and in so discovering we will find blessing and peace beyond all comprehension. In a very real sense, the precise key to finding what God intends for us individuals, is to stop trying to find it. Sounds rather Zen, doesn't it?
And yet...
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Well, Milt Stanley links to Larry Chouinard who extensively quotes John Goldingay:
“The First Testament story never talks about God having a plan for the world or a plan of salvation or a plan for people’s individual lives, and the story it tells does not look like one that resulted from a plan. God certainly had an aim, a vision, some goals, and sometimes formulates a plan for a particular context, but works out a purpose in the world in interaction with the human beings who are designed to be key to the fulfilling of those goals. God is not a micromanager who seeks to make every decision for the company, but the wiser kind of executive who formulates clear goals but involves the work force in determining how to implement them, and also recognizes that the failure of members of the work force will require an ongoing flexibility in pursuing these goals. The story does not give the impression that from the beginning God had planned the flood, or the summons of Abraham, or the exodus, or the introduction of the monarchy, or the building of the temple, or the exile, or the sending of a messiah. It portrays these as responses to concrete situations, while all are outworkings of God’s purpose and character.Interesting isn't it? Inserts all sorts of questions related to the Trinity and for those of us that hold our Calvinism dearly, all sorts of questions about election arise, and yet, there is a ring of truth to the impression. So why battle the theology and not just look for the "takeaway."
And the takeaway from my perspective is that we have an active role to play in God accomplishing His goals. While indeed, our New Testament theology teaches us it is all about God, we are still the instruments of His desire. Our "job" under such circumstances is not to discover "God's plan for our lives," but rather to discover God's goals for us and for humanity and then work with Him to align ourselves with and work towards those goals. We are to become part of the team.
A paraphrase of Kennedy's famous quote seems apropos, "Ask not what God can do for you, ask what you can do for God."
But what is amazing is that we will in the course of so asking, discover what we are meant to be, and in so discovering we will find blessing and peace beyond all comprehension. In a very real sense, the precise key to finding what God intends for us individuals, is to stop trying to find it. Sounds rather Zen, doesn't it?
And yet...
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