God’s Plan for “ What’s God’s plan
for my life?” It’s a question so many people ask. We struggle and hope to find God’s will, His blessing, and His plan for our lives in an effort to feel fulfilled, so we can live a God-pleasing life. Maybe you’ve had questions like:“Which college should I choose?”“What should my major be?”“Is this the job for me?”“Should I date this guy or girl?”“Which car does God want me to buy?”
H I G H E R T H I N G S __ 6
God’s will for you is simple. He “desires,” that is, wills and wants “all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:4–6). Jesus says, “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40). God’s will is to save you, and He’s not only willed it but planned it from before the foundation of the world, “having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will” (Ephesians 1:5). Jesus’ death and resurrection to save you was planned before there ever was you, or your family, or even the universe itself. This plan didn’t just include Jesus’ death and resurrection, but also involved your adoption. God planned and predestined you to be His holy and beloved baptized child—a plan He realized when you were “baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). So, now what? What do you do now? What shall you do? Well, just look at the “shalls” and “shall nots” of God—His Holy Law. The Ten Commandments is where you find what God wants you to do. It’s actually pretty simple—to understand, not to do, of course. (That’s why you needed Jesus to die for you.) It’s straightforward: “We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” (Small Catechism, 1st Commandment Explanation) That’s Commandments One, Two, and Three. Commandments Four through Ten are also simple: “The commandments…are all
summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Romans 13:9). “Faith toward God.”“Fervent,” that is, heart-felt, true, sincere “love toward one another.” You pray for that. After receiving Jesus’ Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins, you pray that your faith would be strengthened and your love for others would increase that you may serve them the best way you can, the best way you know how, and in the best place where God has placed you. Yes, God has placed you somewhere. Yes, you—specifically you and specifically for that person next to you. That’s what we learn from Scripture, as the Catechism puts it, “Consider your place in life according to the Ten Commandments: Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, or worker?” (Small Catechism, Confession: Which are these?) Your heavenly Father planned this, too. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). He planned everything for your salvation. He planned when it would happen (Jesus’ death and resurrection), when it would be delivered (your Baptism day), and what would flow from the new life created in you that day (the good works in which we walk). Now, what does this mean? It means God planned which people you’d love and serve. He knew you’d be there to forgive them, to help them, to serve
