God's Purpose in our lives

[Abea]

Not that I am going to pretend to know God and His mind, but I would like to point out a few things.

5The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination and intention of all human thinking was only evil continually. 6And the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved at heart. Gen 6:5-6

It seems here that the Lord had regret and was grieved. Therefore, He now moves to, for lack of a better term, Plan B.

10Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11I regret making Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not performed My commands. ... 1 Samuel 15

Again, we see regret. In addition, we can see that Saul had made choices that took Him out of the plans God apparently had for him.

4And the vessel that he was making from clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he made it over, reworking it into another vessel as it seemed good to the potter to make it. 5Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does? says the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel. 7At one time I will suddenly speak concerning a nation or kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it; 8And if [the people of] that nation concerning which I have spoken turn from their evil, I will relent and reverse My decision concerning the evil that I thought to do to them. 9At another time I will suddenly speak concerning a nation or kingdom, that I will build up and plant it; 10And if they do evil in My sight, obeying not My voice, then I will regret and reverse My decision concerning the good with which I said I would benefit them. Jeremiah 18

Here we see that people have free will and free choices. We see that God has several plans of actions that result based on those choices. It shows that God has simultaneous plans A, B, and C. And it shows that people can walk out of and back into the plans God has for them.

Really, the whole Bible starts with a story of people who were given a choice, who walked out of God's plan for them, and forced God to work a Plan B.

I guess my personal view is this, God isn't bound by time, yet He is bound by His own rules and laws. He has given man a free will, therefore, man can make choices. Because God is not bound by time, His is able to see the outcome of any of the infinite choices that man can make. Does He sit here every day waiting on my choice? I don't think so. But He does have plans for me and hopes for me. He has wants and desires for me. Yet time after time, I'm sure I've grieved him as I've chose a different path than the one He foresaw for me. Do I totally kill off those plans? I don't think so, I think He will present me another opportunity at some point unless I completely choose to walk away from Him and His ways.

I think when we look at Jonah, we can see that in action. I find it hard to believe that a man such as Jonah was meant to end up the way he did. It was a choice he made. Yet we see a man like David, who time and time again made bad choices, yet each time he returned to God.

We all have choices to make and God has plans to fulfill. His plans ... they WILL be fulfilled. Our choices ... they determine what part we play in those plans.

Some men (like Jonah and King Saul) take themselves off the potters table. Other men (like David and Saul/Paul) throw themselves back up on and said, "Let's try again God."

And I'll let the final word be from God ...

4And the vessel that he was making from clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he made it over, reworking it into another vessel as it seemed good to the potter to make it. 5Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does? says the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.

 

[Patriot]

...and forced God to...

I have real trouble with this phrase. If we can "force" God to do anything, who is actually the one in control?

 

[Abea]

I have real trouble with this phrase. If we can "force" God to do anything, who is actually the one in control?

Very good point. I take back the word forced, not sure what to use though. Caused?

 

[anlptgtsg]

I believe that we can be derailed badly in God's plan for our life. But not completely. If God choose us back to the right path.

First thing, that comes in my mind in this post is the parable of talents. God gave us all talents yet some will not be able to use it for Him. I think His plan for us all is good. Yet some will not be in His gracious side in the end.

I believe that God has no plan B or C. He knows what the future brings. He never let His master plan be ruin. He do what He seems fit. In the story of Jonah, God shows Jonah's wrong doing and because of that he goes to Nineveh. God choose the one to be save and He lead them to his love, mercy and grace.

Second thing I thought about is the last worship service that I gone to. The reverend said that the law in the bible are made to make us know that we cannot obey it. He continued that it tells us that God is the only way we can obey it. Which make sense to me.

Abea made good points. God indeed grieved. Still I somehow think that He know that it will happen yet He still continue to it. I kind of think that Jesus died on the cross, which is so amazing that God will die for us. And become a servant of men. Even calling those who believe in him friends. My point is God suffers and grieved all the time. He grieve when we grieve and suffers when people suffer. He love all.

Main answer: God's master plan will not be hindered by anybody.

Thanks ursen for making this interesting post.

 

[Skibabinz]

Personally, I view our "path" on this life as a rocky dirt road, with darkness on either side. Beside us, if we allow him, is God holding our hand. At times, I think God pulls us off that dirt path and partially into the darkness, but protects us, so that we can avoid something awful on the road. Kind of like if I were walking down a dirt road and had to jump into the ditch on the side because some random jerk decided to come at me in a truck doing 80 mph.