These are Your eyes Lord
“For I know the plans I have for you,” DECLARES the LORD, "- this is how Jeremiah 29:11 begins. Of course, the Lord goes on to tell us he has plans to prosper and not harm us, but the beginning should be enough! HE has plans. Period. Notice that the scripture does not say anything about God sharing that plan. He says, I KNOW the plans. The Lord of all creation has plans for me! Proud human that I am, I think that He somehow owes me an explanation of what these plans are! Spirit humble me!
When I was a child I was captivated by the story of Amy Carmichael, a great pioneer missionary in India.
There is a story (although I am unsure of it’s validity) that as a young girl, Amy prayed over and over that God would change her eyes from brown to blue. As a little girl with blue eyes, this struck me deeply. Was I special because of my blue eyes? Many years down the road, saving children from temple prostitution in Dohnavur, India, Amy realized the blessing of her brown eyes as they allowed her to blend in more easily in her ministry. She died her skin darker with coffee, but she would never have been able to hide blue eyes!
I realized through that story, that God does INDEED have a plan for each of us, but it may be years before we learn what it is. Amy thought God had called her to Asia. She signed up with Hudson Taylor’s organization but was eventually rejected due to health issues. She traveled to Japan, but before long was forced to leave due to her deteriorating health. Eventually she ended up in India to recover her health. Lo and behold, God had planned all along for her to be His instrument there.
Since God called me to ministry, Amy Carmichael has been on my mind, and the other day I decided to read more about her. I came across a quote of hers that really spoke to my current state,
“It is a safe thing to trust Him to fulfill the desire that He creates.”
Oh! What encouraging truth!
Jesus, You gave me this calling! You have given me the desire to go to Costa Rica, to love Your children, to tell them of Your redemption plan! Help me to trust you with the desires that You have created in me! For You know the plans You have for me!
In Psalm 13 David is crying out to the Lord “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?”
Although I know Jeremiah 29:11 has stated that God has my footsteps ordained, I am so quick to take up these words. “How long O Lord?” How long are you going to leave me here in cold, dreary Western New York? How long are you going to make me wait to reach my fundraising goals so I can move to Costa Rica? How long will you make me wait to see your plans?
(What amazing grace that our heavenly Father allows us to question Him instead of squashing us! He allows our humanity before He lovingly draws us back to Himself.)
How slow I am to move through the passage to the end of chapter 13. “But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.” David doesn’t lay in his self-pity, wallowing. He returns from his questions and speaks truth to himself!
I have been finding bits of truth everywhere I look lately. From Amy Carmichael herself, in scripture and in my reading, I find words like “Do not be discouraged by the fact that many of your prayers are yet unanswered. Time is a trainer, teaching you to wait upon Me, to trust Me in the dark.” - Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.
So here is my prayer: Father I will not ask for explanations. I will not ask for different circumstances. I will not ask for blue eyes. Instead I ask for more of you! I ask for humility and preparation. I ask you Holy Spirit to lead me every day to the work that is set in front of me here and now, to worship God in all that I do and say. Help me to trust in Your perfect timing for YOUR plans, not mine.