And Me Without a Plan

And Me Without a Plan

A true story, no kidding.

I remember in my younger days (don’t we all) thinking about how in the world I would ever be able to live on my own. How would I ever be able to get a job sufficient to pay bills, and for a whole life time? Of course to a young man thoughts of that nature disappear about as quickly as they occur. The future never seems so close. 

More important were the thoughts that would come throughout life. Thoughts very much like those, but centered more on my responsibility, would come time and again. When Jane and I were getting married I can remember thinking that I had no earthly idea how I would ever be able to be an effective husband. How could I build a home, be a leader, provide for the welfare of my wife and meet the daily responsibilities of a young married couple? I was frequently overwhelmed just thinking how very out of place, and ill equipped, I knew myself to be. And yet, here I was, just me without a plan. 

Feelings like that do not go away very easily…because God sends children. Now if you want to talk about being overwhelmed just pack a couple of children into the mix. Naturally, I put on a good game-face when Michael was on the way. It really was exciting knowing that in just a few months we would have our very first child. But I really could not completely eradicate the fears and concerns that were now mounting. How could I (I know it is ‘we’ but it was my deficiencies I worried about not Jane’s) take this young life we were bringing into the world and teach him to be a better person than I had been? Is that the epitome of “do as I say and not as I do?” And having failed so miserably (in my mind) with my own life what could I possibly teach him? How would we provide for his physical needs, his medical, educational and yes his spiritual needs? Was I capable? I had no training at all in being a dad and yet, here I was and here he came…and me without a plan.

Well, talk about compounding problems and worries just about the time Michael was showing a little bit of promise Melanie decided it was time to make her grand appearance in our lives. Of course, I knew Jane would handle the female issues of life but I would still face everything I did with Michael but now with a little different edge. She was our little girl and that just adds a perspective that isn’t easily explained unless you have a little girl. There just seems to be a bit more earnestness to protecting and shielding her from all the harm this world would throw her way. But again, I had no training, no child rearing classes, and no special powers inherent in my nature that would ever equip me to raise a daughter successfully. I had no plan at all and yet, here I was and here they were.

Thoughts like this pervaded my heart and mind over the years with every new phase of our children’s lives. How could I be an effective husband? How could I be a father our children could respect? How could I possibly teach them how to live their lives when I had made such a wreck of my own? How could I teach them what I really believed they needed…without a plan?

I prayed. I sought a closer walk with God daily for myself. I learned to enjoy every moment that God allowed Jane and I to have with our children. And they turned out to be so different from each other that one might wonder if they had the same parents. But that’s good. They both grew to love God. They found wonderful spouses who also love the Lord. And although one is more scholastic and the other is more ‘hippified’ they are both wonderful loving young people who care deeply for those they meet.

Well, what do you know? Here we are at the end of that journey and it was wonderful. The only real plan I had seems to have worked out quite well, marry a godly spouse, pray daily for your family and draw closer to God personally every day and things will work out just fine.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (v.6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”  

Are there humans that have supernatural abilities?

Are there humans that have supernatural abilities?

Are there humans with abilities beyond the norm? The term supernatural refers to manifestations or events considered to be beyond what is natural in origin. The majority of individuals have abilities which are common, or shared by all. Some may be exercised in greater degree by one person or another, while another person may show a greater propensity for a particular ability. Yet, we all exhibit common abilities. One person may draw like Michelangelo while another’s art work may more closely resemble that of a grade schooler. I may blow a horn in a manner resembling a mountain goat, while you might be a great musician. Still, we all draw and we can all blow air into a tube. The supernatural suggests an ability beyond what is common to man in general.

In the Old Testament Moses is seen stretching out his hand over the Red Sea. As he did, the waters divided. They divided so completely that the nation of Israel was able to cross over the sea “on dry ground” (Exodus 14:14-29). When Moses next extends the rod over the sea all of Pharaoh’s army is drowned. That is a miracle. However, it is not a supernatural power.

In Exodus we are shown the plagues that came upon Egypt just before Israel was finally freed from bondage. In Exodus 7:1ff Moses goes to Pharaoh with a request for freedom. And to vindicate his authority from God he casts his rod on the ground and it becomes a serpent. However, Pharaoh’s magicians are also able to do the same thing. Moses’ serpent/rod is able to swallow theirs. Still, they did produce a miracle. However, it was not a supernatural power.

In the New Testament (Acts 3:1ff) Peter and John approach the temple. As they do, a lame man is near the entrance begging for aid having been left there by his friends. Peter and John approach declaring they are totally broke financially but, declaring they are able to give him one gift. With that, they tell him to stand up and walk. That man, lame from birth, was able to stand and walk. That is a miracle. However, it is not a supernatural power.

In Revelation chapter 13 we see a ‘beast’ mortally wounded and miraculously healed. It is a miracle. However, even this is not a supernatural power.

None of the above miracles are the result of innate powers. For Peter, John and Moses their power was derived from the God they worshipped. Likewise, in the work of Pharaoh’s magicians, as well as the beast of Revelation, the power comes from the god they worshipped. It is not a supernatural power within the individual himself.

When the Spirit of God (or Satan) indwells, or comes upon, a person that person may be granted the ability to perform a miracle. But, we have no evidence that any man has ever been born with supernatural powers; no vision rays, no invisibility, not even the ability to fly without the aid of planes, etc. Each of us can do great things in one respect or another. But, none of us has the power to perform any deed beyond “natural” human ability. But for God, the normal is super-natural.

When a person becomes saved, or born-again, the Spirit of God indwells that person and the greatest of all miracles occurs (II Cor. 5:17). God performs an out-patient heart transplant, a truly “super” natural event. Ezekiel 11:19 “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will remove the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh….” God takes a person dead in sin, destined for an eternity in hell as the child of the Devil (John 8:44) and transforms him in one moment of time into an eternal being alive in Christ, a joint heir with Christ and in right standing before God (Romans 5:8-10). The work of God in saving a man is both a miracle and supernatural in its power. Even the greatest supernatural power imaginable to man would pale in comparison to the saving grace of God.

No, there are no humans with supernatural powers. But, born again believers draw upon the power of our supernatural God every day.