God's Plan: More Than We Can Imagine

READ: 1 SAMUEL 2:1-10; EPHESIANS 3:14-21; HEBREWS 13:8

Have you ever prayed, Lord, what is your plan for my life? You’re not alone. Becoming an adult can be overwhelming, especially with all the unknowns ahead.

A woman in the Bible named Hannah knew how it felt to face an unknown future. She didn’t know if God would give her a child. She prayed for years, until one day God spoke through the priest Eli and answered her with a yes—she would have a son (1 Samuel 1:17).

Hannah was thrilled! But God’s plan for Hannah didn’t stop there. He worked through the details of her life in ways beyond what she imagined. As she thanked God for her son, her prayer showed a glimpse of a much bigger picture already set in motion: “There is no one holy like the Lord... there is no Rock like our God...‘He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed’” (1 Samuel 2:2, 10).

Hannah’s prayer mentioned a king, but she couldn’t have known that one day her baby Samuel would grow up to anoint David to be king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:13). Not only that, but many years later Jesus Christ would be born from the lineage of David (Matthew 1:17). Jesus is the promised King of kings, and He came to save us from sin and death. Even as far back as the Old Testament, we see pieces of God’s design for our salvation.

Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” As Christians, we don’t have to worry about the future—we can trust God with the details because He is working all things out according to His good kingdom purposes (Romans 8:28-29). So when you wonder what God’s plan is for you, be assured of this. In Christ, it’s more than you could ever imagine (Ephesians 3:20). • Kristine Brown

• Can you think of a time you were unsure about your future? How can Hannah’s story encourage us as we face unknowns in our lives?

• Hebrews 13:8 talks about Jesus being “the same yesterday and today and forever.” How can this truth give us hope for our future—both our eternal future when Jesus returns to make all things new, and every day till then?

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)