The Plan Begins to Unfold

By Samantha Rodriguez

“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’”—Genesis 12:1–3 (NIV)

Every good story has what I like to call “full-circle moments.” These are moments where memories or experiences connect to other instances and bring sweet redemption, greater understanding, fulfillment of promises, or deeper love. It’s the moment in a movie where the beginning scene connects to the ending scene. It’s the moment where the memory of a friendship starting in kindergarten lasts through graduation and college. It is the moment where a hard conversation with a loved one ignites a season of growth and more fruitful conversations in the future. My favorite story with the best full-circle moments is found in the story of Jesus!

God’s plan to reconcile humanity to Himself through Jesus was put into action long before the birth of our Savior on Earth. It may be hard to see at first, but the entire Old Testament foreshadows the coming of Christ and God’s heart to save His people. In our passage today, God calls Abram to leave his country and follow Him wherever He would lead. This is the story's beginning for the Israelite nation and their trek to the Promised Land. Abram, later known as Abraham, was promised by God that his family would become a great nation and be blessed. This blessing, however, was not for themselves. God’s blessing on their family and nation would bless “all people on earth.”

This is where God’s redemptive plan begins to unfold—with this promise to Abraham. As we trace this promise throughout the rest of their story and the Bible, we reach the story of Jesus’ birth. Jesus came to be the light that shines in the darkness without being overcome; the Word became flesh so that “those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12 NIV). We even see two prophetic accounts in Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth when Joseph and Mary take Him to the temple for His purification rites. Simeon, a devout worshiper of God who listened to the Holy Spirit, and Anna, a prophet who never stopped worshiping and praying, immediately knew Jesus was the promised Messiah.

Our God is faithful. He keeps His promises and loves to write beautiful stories with our lives that will ultimately give Him the glory He deserves while granting us unmerited grace and purpose. For this reason, we can wholeheartedly sing these lyrics from “O Holy Night”:

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we

With all within, let us praise His holy name.

As you remember the beauty of this story, may you look at your own story and trust that the same God who gave you access to salvation through Christ and who crafted this beautiful redemption plan is the same God who is writing your story as well!

Pause: How has God already written full-circle moments into your life story? How does this remind you of His faithfulness?

Practice: Take time today to journal some of those moments in your life as an act of reflection on God being the author of your story. Praise Him for those moments, and then ask for more trust to follow His lead in your life.

Pray: Father God, You are the only one worthy of being the author of my story because You started it. Not only did You start it, but You found my story and my life worth sending Your Son to live, die, and rise again for. Thank You for Your consistent grace and love in my life. Even when I don’t understand what You are doing, may I trust that You are a God who brings full-circle moments to pass for the good of Your people and the glory of Your name! Amen.