Recently, I purchased a different phone.  I am not completely tech illiterate, but that phone had me confounded!  Buttons were in different places, swipes triggered different actions, connections were not established. Noting my frustration, my husband shared some good advice he received from his co-workers- “Give it to your daughter.  She’ll figure it out!”  Our daughter is nine!  How foolish that a nine-year-old can figure out this complicated instrument more efficiently than an adult!

In our text for this week, God’s plan for our salvation is referred to as foolish.  God’s plan of salvation, his plan to save sinful mankind from eternal destruction was this: To take His own words and form them into the gurgling of a fragile baby. This baby, Jesus, would be raised by insignificant humans and grow up to teach about God’s love in a scrubby region of the world.  As a man, Jesus would be tempted by others and even by the lord of lies himself, the devil.   Jesus would be able to resist each temptation.  He would allow himself to be captured, then abhorrently tortured.  Finally, he would hang on a cross as mankind’s substitute while he suffered the unspeakable torments of hell and isolation from God.  There he would die.  Three days later, Jesus would rise again to show that God accepted his perfect sacrifice.  This was God’s plan of salvation, our one chance for eternal survival.  Human reason says, “How foolish!”

Yet, human reason is no match for God’s perfection and faithfulness!  God’s foolishness is even wiser than man’s wisdom and his weakness is stronger than man’s strength.  God promised this plan and he delivered.  God had perfect confidence in his only Son and his Son executed the plan perfectly.  It worked with no hitches or flaws.  Jesus never once fell into temptation.  Jesus never once disobeyed or strayed from God’s perfect plan.  Jesus fulfilled God’s plan to the letter.

Now, when God looks at each one of his family members, he will not thunder, “Get away from me!”  Now when he looks at each of his family members, God sees our substitute Jesus.  His foolish plan worked!  God will greet each one that believes with, “Come!  I see Jesus in your heart!  Welcome to my kingdom!”

As you continue through Lent, fix your eyes on God’s foolish plan.  Come before God’s only Son, who stood in our place.  Marvel at God’s weakness that took one baby and raised a Savior!