Commitments Before Plans

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. — Matthew 1:21

So here's the backstory. An angel has just communicated God's plans to a man named Joseph. Joseph is engaged to a woman named Mary. They have not yet had sex, but he discovers she is pregnant.

So here is one takeaway from this moment.

Sometimes our plans and God's plans don't line up, do they? Joseph had his plans. And his plans were to quietly and respectfully save face by breaking off his engagement. But God's plans were entirely different. God wanted Mary to have his son, but he also wanted a committed father in his son's life. So he chose Mary to mother Jesus, but he also chose Joseph to father him. And God didn't want Joseph opting out of marriage or fathership for the sake of optics or self-preservation. Thus we discover that God wanted a man, husband, and father who was going to make good on his commitments. Who was a very committed man. And I believe God reinforced his desire for a committed man by specifically waiting until Joseph was actually engaged before conceiving the child (because no man would commit to engaging Mary if she were already pregnant).

I have discovered in my spiritual journey that God will always reveal his plans to men who are fully committed to him. But what God wants first is commitment. He wants commitment before revealing his plans. So today, worry less about what God's plans might be. Spend less time speculating. Concern yourself with the commitments you've made to him. See them through. Because along the way God reveals his plans to committed men when the time is just right.

ASK THIS: What commitments have you made that you need to make good on?

DO THIS: Be committed and ask God to reveal his plan.

PRAY THIS: God, I am fully committed to you. I may not know the future, but you do. And I know you will reveal the plan when the time is just right.

PLAY THIS: Plans.