“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2

Our Final Destination

What happens when God changes our meticulously planned plans?

Recently I was part of a group trip. We were all to meet at the Sacramento Airport, which we did. We quickly realized our travel plans were going to be changed. There were weather problems in other parts of the country which were delaying and cancelling flights all over the country. It was like a domino effect.

Eventually our group was broke up into three groups. Some traveled from Sacramento to Chicago, then on to our final destination; others traveled from Sacramento to Dallas to the final destination; and yet another group traveled from Sacramento to San Francisco to Washington, D.C., then to the final destination. Our delay was not just a half hour—oh no, it was HOURS and HOURS.

If I have learned anything as a follower of my Savior, Jesus Christ, I know that I can plan and prepare all I want, but if God wants to change my imperfect plans to His perfect plan, He will. God quite literally broke up His little flock of travelers and spread us out over the entire country. Not only did God separate our group, He even separated traveling companions, some on different travel routes, some with different places on the planes. As our trip unfolded, I spoke to some of my fellow travelers and found that because of this, some were able to share the gospel with strangers, others shared their stories and received stories from strangers, some were able to talk with people from other countries. I noticed that as the frustration and the weariness crept up on us, there were several that always had a smile and encouraging words for all around them. I realize that our small group was not the only one with “travel challenges”—it seemed everyone in the airports had them. It was God’s plan, not ours. I pray we were a blessing to others.

Another thing that happened, which to me, as I thought about it, became so profound. The first group to leave was the last group to reach our final destination. The last group to leave the first airport was the first group to reach our final destination. “So, the last will be first and first will be last. For many are called but few chosen” Matthew 20:16. We all at different times will arrive at our final destination where Jesus has prepared our forever home with Him in Heaven.

“Heavenly Father, we may think we have our Christian path all lined out—we think we know where and to what You have called us—but when You have other plans, may we with grace change our “flight schedules” and willingly go where You send us, even in a direction we never thought about, giving us opportunities that You place in front of us, for Your purposes, knowing You will safely bring us to our final destination. Amen.”