Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:28-30

Again, I’m in awe that Jesus can say anything whilst he’s on the cross. But here he takes it up a notch again and shows just how cognisant he is whilst on the cross.

In fact, he seems to have the entirety of the Old Testament in his head whilst on the cross. Because at this point he knows it’s all been done. He just needs to do one more thing and tell them that’s he’s thirsty.

And then it’s official…

He ticks all the boxes.

He’s the one the Jews have been waiting for. And now he’s got the job finished. Complete. #done

It seems somewhat silly to say – but I’ll say it anyway – Jesus is thorough. There is no i left undotted. No t left uncrossed. Everything that needs to be done gets done.

Jesus did not come to do a half-hearted, nor half-baked attempt at rescuing the world. Rather he came and was in complete conformity with the Father God’s plan which had been written in the pages (so to speak) of the Jewish scrolls for centuries.

It blows me away every time to think that Jesus managed to fulfil prophecy from centuries earlier, and even the most obscure things. But it’s true.

This, Christians, is our God. He is not like the other ancient gods that seem somewhat out of control and driven by the own desires to usurp and manipulate other beings – and frankly all too human. He is driven by the desire to be truthful, and forgive, and save and rescue.

And he has a plan. And for whatever reason, seemingly obscure details like having a drink, riding on a donkey and residing in Nazareth (just to name a few) were important enough to be in the plan centuries before.

So I guess it’s logical to think that whatever God has planned for my life, he has it planned in extremely fine detail. And if this is true then I think there are a few logical implications that flow from it.

First, all my days are planned. They aren’t random, even when they seem to be so. There is meaning to the days of my life, again, even when there are days that seem confusingly meaningless. This requires a lot of trust, but if God has a plan, then this must be so. The God of the Bible doesn’t seem like a God who would create a chaotic and meaningless plan, regardless of how I, or anyone, might feel about their life. Ultimately, I know his plans for me are good.

Second, I can ask God to reveal different parts of the plan, if he so chooses, and to guide me with my next steps. I can even ask for help to guide someone else as they try to navigate the steps of their life. It’s not just my life that has a plan, everyone’s does. We should seek God’s wisdom together to plan their steps of our lives.

And third, I should lower my anxiety levels because God is in control. The next panic attack, well, it can wait for another day. Because “No power of hell, no scheme of man” can ever change God’s plan.

Because he’s got it planned. Thoroughly. And I know that it is good and that God is for me – because he sent his son, Jesus who willingly died on a cross to save me.

Because whatever’s in the plan, God knows a sinner like me is going to need rescuing from her sin.

If he could coordinate that down to the letter, then he can coordinate the plan for my life down to the letter too.

Yours telling the panic attacks where to go,

Alison