God’s Plan for Your Life

The United States women’s softball team won the gold medal in Atlanta’s 1996 Olympic Games. They lost only one game. In the fifth inning against Australia, Danielle Tyler hit a home run over the centerfield fence. When she was greeted by a swarm of teammates at home plate, the excitement distracted her and she failed to step on home plate. When all of the yelling subsided, the Australian team quietly appealed to the umpire who dramatically called Tyler out. Rather than scoring a run, Tyler’s blast over the fence netted her team an out. As it ended up, had she stepped on home plate, her team would have won 1-0. Instead, after seven innings of regulation play the game was tied at 0-0. In extra innings, Australia emerged with a 2-1 win and the U.S. team took their only loss of the Olympics. It’s not enough to hit a ball into the seats; you have to touch all of the bases as well.

In the Christian life, God wants us to touch all the bases. After we put our trust in Christ for salvation, God doesn’t want us to stay at the same spiritual level. He expects us to make spiritual progress—to touch all the bases.

The apostle Paul said “I have become its minister, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints. God wanted to make known to those among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” Colossians 1:25-28.

 God’s plan is for every believer to reach spiritual maturity. Christ doesn’t simply want followers; He wants fully devoted followers. God is not content with us merely joining His family and not maturing. I am happy that my two daughters were born, but I would not be happy if they did not mature.

Missionary E. Stanley Jones once asked Gandhi how Christianity could be more acceptable in India. Gandhi’s response was, “I would suggest, first, that all of you Christians…begin to live more like Jesus Christ.”

What does a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ look like?  He wants you to turn from your sin. “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out” (Acts 3:19).

He wants you to put your trust in Christ for forgiveness and eternal life.  “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).  God wants you to become a growing follower of Christ. He wants you to demonstrate your commitment to Christ by being baptized.  He wants you to show your commitment to other believers by joining the membership of a church.  “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all” (Eph. 4:4-6).  He wants you to regularly meet for worship and instruction with other believers.  “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another” (Heb. 10:25).  He wants you to possess an increasing knowledge of the Bible, which you apply to your life.  “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples” (John 8:31).  He wants you to value and practice prayer. “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Eph. 6:18).  He wants you to demonstrate love for others.  “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. But this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

(Dr. Krouse can be contacted at sskrouse@succeed.net or 696-0563)