The Peter Problem

                Over the last year, I have read and studied about Malchus and his role in the garden with Jesus.  I’ve read the story countless times and thought about what could have happened to Malchus after his encounter.  I was so focused on Malchus that I completely missed a major part of the story.  It finally struck me when I was working on a Sunday school lesson.  God’s plan will still be carried out even when we jump ahead of Him.

                Now you have to ask, how was God’s plan moved over for man’s plan?  Let’s look at the story a little closer.  When the soldiers and Malchus entered the garden where Jesus was praying, they had one goal.  They were there to arrest Jesus.  That was God’s plan from the beginning.  Peter decided that he needed to protect Jesus and fight off anyone that got close to Him.  This was man’s plan.  Peter decided that he was going to protect Jesus at all costs.  He had his own agenda in mind.

                How many times have we been like Peter and decided we wanted our agenda moved forward without knowing God’s plan?  We may have the best of intentions and even think that we are doing God’s work.  We develop programs to feed people, cloth people or help the needy in many ways.  We think that God has His hands all over whatever we are doing.  We just know that God will bless us and the plan we have set forward.  But we haven’t stopped and listened to God before pushing our plan forward.

                Churches have the same problem on occasions.  They start outreach programs that are intended to bring more people to Christ.  They have special services that should bring more people in the doors and expose them to God.  They hire a pastor in the hopes that he can be the one that pushes the church forward in the community.  The problem is that just like Peter they don’t wait on God before they act.  They are ready to take action before they figure out God’s plan for the church. 

                In either individuals or the church as a whole, when we take our own agenda and push it forward without listening to God first it will always fail.  Just as Peter learned that cutting off Malchus’ ear, God’s ultimate plan will still be followed.  Our plans will fall apart when we go forward with them without listening to God.  We usually get frustrated and loose interest in whatever we are trying to accomplish on our own.  Our plans will not have the benefits nor will they be a blessing to anyone without God. 

                God definitely wants to bless us in what we do as long as we are following His plans.  When we stop and listen to God, He will tell us what plans are for us at that time.  If we will follow His tug on our hearts, then He will bless us more than we could ever imagine.  He will put new people in our paths that need to hear about Jesus or need help in some way.  He will clear the way for everything to fall in line for our plans to match His plans.  All we need to do is be still and listen.  God will always reattach the things that we cut away when we go ahead of Him.  The real question is, are you following God’s plan or are you following your own plan?