“I Have A Plan For That!”

I have a plan for that!” This claim has become the infamous, monotonous drumbeat, the unofficial campaign slogan, of one of the leading candidates in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Presidential election: “I have a plan for that.” For each of America’s looming and dooming problems, this candidate has “a plan for that.” Most ubiquitously notorious among her plans is “Medicare for All.” However great a plan that sounds to some, commonsense quickly assesses her plan as ludicrous and prohibitively costly. It is so ludicrous because it is so costly. A grade-schooler could do the math. It’s simply not possible to pay for that plan. And, it wouldn’t work if implemented. The reason this mantra of “I have a plan for that” is so appealing is because America does have huge problems that beg solving. Concerned people do like to hear that there is a plan for persistent, serious problems and crises—and for prospects beyond the problems of a brighter more prosperous future. This candidate was not the first to proclaim, “I have a plan for that” to a serious problem. God Himself said, “I have a plan for that.” Humanity had a serious problem of having made a mess of things, especially themselves, and could not straighten it out. There were no solutions except the ineffectual denying there was a problem. The problem was sin, lostness, alienation from God, hopelessness, purposelessness, all rolled up together. God said, “I have a plan for that.” God’s plan could also be deemed both ludicrous and prohibitively costly. Yet, despite its arguably being so, it worked. God’s plan was to send His Son Jesus to die for the world’s sin, and through anyone’s acceptance of that act, rescue him from sin and give him eternal life. His plan was to take away sin and its wages and to give him an abundant life of purpose and meaning right now and eternal life that continues after death. His plan seemed ludicrous: How could someone dying on the cross give life, eternal life? How could victory over life’s problems be had from One being ignominiously executed as the vilest criminals? How could the cross do those things and more? Ludicrous. Laughably absurd. The Apostle Paul noted this “ For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; …. “ (1Co 1:18). It is not only ludicrous, it apparently is prohibitively costly. The plan called for God’s giving His Son to die. A plan that requires one to send his son to the executioner is just too costly. Especially, if the plan is to send that son to die for the guilty, the sinful, the unworthy. Paul was also the one to note that, while admitting that kind of price might in an extremely rare case be paid for a really good person, it would be too costly for scoundrels: “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.” (Rom 5:7). Yet, though God’s plan seems ludicrous and prohibitively costly, He implemented it and it worked: Ludicrous? Yes. But, you may have noticed I left off the rest of the verse, “ For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; ….” The remaining of that verse says, “… but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1Co 1:18). Prohibitively costly? So it would seem. Yet, again, I didn’t finish Paul’s thought. I left off the verse following this one: “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.” (Rom 5:7). The next verse continues, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8). Though unimaginably costly, God paid the price. Thank God He had a ludicrous and prohibitively costly plan. It worked! I am not arguing for the plan of the candidate mentioned above. Frankly, I do not think her plan will work. I know God’s plan did. It does. It will. Is your life a mess? God has a plan for that.

“I Have A Plan For That!”

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