Reflections on "God's Plans"

The title fit the original idea, God's plans work are still at work in the midst of our bad decisions, better than the final version of the sermon.

AS is often the case, when I push myself on what to say to the Young Disciples, I discover the heart of the sermon (maybe there is a sermon preparation lesson to be learned in that!). I found the power of the sermon to be in the point that Judah's self-giving set the stage for Joseph to act to save Israel. That, of course, would seem to mimic an expectation God might have for us -- we respond to God's self-giving my acting in ways that reveal God to the world.

I struggled with concrete illustrations for self-giving ways that reveal God. The story of the young boy was okay, but it felt more like a serial Internet story (which it probably was) than a powerful testimony to how one responds to a self-giving act. I loved the final line, "Are you God's wife," which is why I ultimately kept it in the sermon.

I made generic references to a parent's death bringing together estranged siblings and hospital situations where people discover God being revealed through the actions of others. The generic allusions lack the power of a particular story. The problem with particular stories is that I have been in Troy so long, that most of my stories are about situations I have experienced here in Troy. I have a problem telling those stories in a sermon because of confidentiality issues and because I do not want to create the impression that everyone's life story is a future sermon illustration.

Can you think of some stories where someone's self-giving act revealed God's presence in your life (I'll assume if you post it in a comment you have given permission for it to be used at some later time!)?

Peace,

Richard