The Emphasis Makes a Huge Difference.

May 3, 2012

In one of the old Loony Tunes cartoons, one of the characters (I sure wish I could remember which one!) was practicing declaring his love to his girlfriend.  He wanted to tell her he loved her so he was trying to figure out just the right way to say it, “I love you.  I LOVE you.  I love YOU.”  It’s a scene that has always stuck with me (even though the character did not) because it so simply showed the importance of where you place the emphasis.  Each of those three sentences means something different.  Austin Powers made the same point: “I put the emPHAsis on the wrong sylLAble.”

These illustrations always come to mind when I reflect on a verse that is hanging in my office:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
                                                                    ~Jer. 29:11

God says, “For I know the plans I have for you…”  He knows them, I probably don’t.  He has the plans, I don’t.  It’s not my plan, it’s not in my control.  He has plans for me to grow and flourish.  He has good will towards me.  HE loves me.  He LOVES me.  He loves ME.

I’ve had my struggles during this season of Kelsey’s illness.  I struggle to find the sense in such senseless pain and suffering.  I struggle to know how Romans 8: 28 (“that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”) will work out in a way that makes it all worth it.  But, if I truly believe that HE LOVES ME, then I have to believe that He has a plan that will allow Him to be glorified through all of this.  I have no idea what that plan is.  In the depths of my soul, I long to know it.  But, it is the difference between knowing there is a plan for us, and knowing our plan.