There's just something about purchasing a new watch. Or maybe it's something about watches themselves. There will always be that watch that makes you wonder if its magnificence will outweigh your drab style. There will always be that watch that gleams and shines, but its workmanship is questionable upon approach. There are watches with narrow bands and thick bands. Circular faces and oval faces and square faces. You could try on each one, clasping the canvas, the leather, the plastic, the metal around your wrist. Which is the right one? Though some may be skeptical, there is only one watch that belongs to the seeker of it. Every watch speaks. Every watch tries to explain how wonderful they are, how accurate their time-telling abilities have proven. This happened to me the other day at a friendly neighborhood Target. Each watch wanted me. I wanted each and every watch. But $19.99 is a hard bargain for a gift-card user. So I was forced to choose. In the end, I picked the watch that didn’t “say” anything to me. It just stared silently at me, letting the simplicity and neutrality of its make say all it needed to say.
God has a simple and attainable plan for each and every one of us. He designs the watch with love and care and keeps all of the tiny gears and springs working just as they’re supposed to. (Now, I am not to get confused with the evolutionary theory of the “clockmaker” that created the world and then left it to work itself out. God is no clockmaker. His plan is the clock. And only He can maintain its proper functioning through intricate, divine intervention.) God plans our lives and, upon allowing Him to obtain control, upon wearing His watch, like clockwork God will bring the blessings and trials of life to us. He will never fail to surprise us. He still surprises me. I love that He keeps me on my toes.
But sometimes the other watches look more attractive. Sometimes we don’t like God’s ideas. Sometimes His watch is ugly in our minds. We may not even try it on. We settle for a watch that doesn’t quite fit, it’s gaudy or plain. It has better features and benefits. It’s unfortunate that our money will be totally wasted. Eventually, that watch will wear out and we will feel as if it had no use to us. We will feel as if our lives had no use to the world. But more importantly, to God.
Who have you been trying on lately?
