The Best Laid Plans

 The link to this week's live-streamed service is here.

Well, that week did not go according to plan. To begin, Rev Irwin caught COVID-19 so the planned session meeting had to be postponed. The church secretary is ill, so the planned distribution of Bible Study materials did not happen. Bad weather on Thursday forced the cancellation of the planned choir practice. I'm sure cancelled ferries and power outages upset the plans for thousands of people across the South Island over the past few days.

At this point I was going to reference Robbie Burns and his mouse, but Rev. Irwin already used that allusion in his weekly letter to the congregation.

Instead, I'll point you to The Best Laid Plans, by Terry Fallis, a funny book about Canadian politics. (I know, oxymoron) It's a bit dated now but it will keep you laughing out loud while you rebook your missed appointments and wait for the weather to warm up.

It would seem that a good part of planning for the future is to develop a contingency plan, too.

In the case of SSPC, we were fortunate that Ruth McCowan was available to fill in in the pulpit on Sunday. We have often called on Ruth for pulpit supply and are grateful for her presence and her thoughtful leadership, both at SPPC and throughout the Presbyterian Church on Vancouver Island.

Our talented music director, Larry Skaggs, covered the "choir anthem" slot in the service with a cello solo, which made our visiting minister very happy. As I used to tell my junior choir "there are no mistakes, just unplanned harmonies."

There are still two weeks before our first Bible Study session of the new term, so no need to panic about the study materials just yet. 

Our last Bible Study session on Proverbs was entitled "Planning the Future." One verse in particular could be applied to this past week.

In his heart a man plans his course
but the Lord determines his steps.  Proverbs 16:9 MEV

Scripture abounds in assurances that God is in charge. Like this oft-quoted verse from Jeremiah.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer. 29:11

The call to worship on Sunday morning included the line

Before we were born, God knew us.
God knit us together in the womb.

Even as I murmur against the forced revision of my schedule, I'm seeing a pattern here.  

We don't like it when our plans are upset. We get grumpy. We might even yell at God for sending a snowstorm when we wanted to travel. If you are stuck at home this week, why not dwell on the words, "plans to give you hope and a future." Our schemes are for the immediate time. God's plans are far beyond our understanding and our timing, but they are for our good. As followers of Christ, we can live confidently with that promise.

Here are ancient words set to century's old music, assuring us of God's ultimate care. Thou Knowest Lord, the Secrets of Our Hearts.