Today, Father, has been a day just like many days before and I am sure many more days like it will come but that makes it no less a good day – a day where You are active and bring a vibrancy to life that would be sorely missing if You were absent. My life is so much more the richer! All praise to You, Holy Father!

Mark 6:30-32 (<<click to read the passage)

Sometimes things don’t go as we have planned.

According to, The Phrase Finder, a website from the United Kingdom the phrase, “the best laid plans (schemes) of mice and men” is from a poem by Scottish poet Robert Burns which he wrote in 1786. It tells of how he, while ploughing a field, upturned a mouse’s nest. The resulting poem is an apology to the mouse:

But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft a-gley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promised joy.

A little transliteration might be helpful,

But, Mousie, you aren’t alone
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes of mice and men
Often go awry,
And leave us nought but grief and pain,
For promised joy.

In today’s passage, Jesus’ intent was for He and His apostles to get away for some time alone together for some much-needed rest. (Not everyone understands it but ministry, being used of God to touch others for Him, is very wearying. It truly takes a lot out of you.) That’s what Jesus wanted to do but it’s not what ended up happening. People found them – genuinely needy people – and Jesus’ heart went out to them. He couldn’t say “no”.

What about us? We need our rest, too, but in the middle of it all quite often “the best laid schemes…go awry”. And when that happens, just as our Lord and Savior did, we must drop what we were seeking after, at least temporarily and touch others for Him. Our hearts must go out to them, as well.

Lord Jesus, help us in the midst of the craziness of our lives to not miss opportunities to impact others around us with Your love and compassion – who knows the lives You will change through us! Amen!

Apr 1st, 2019, Mon, 7:06 pm