Our Best Made Plans

"We Can Make Our Best Plans, but the Lord Guides Our Path" (Proverbs 16:9, NLT)



We embarked on our 15-day cruise to Hawaii, which was scheduled to leave San Francisco on Monday, January 27th and return on Tuesday, February 11th. The ship’s route included ports of call in Hilo, Honolulu, Kauai, and Maui, followed by a quick stop in Ensenada, Mexico. Why Mexico? Well, apparently, the Jones Act, a federal law that regulates maritime commerce in the United States, required the ship to pass through international waters before returning to San Francisco.

Everything was going along smoothly – until it wasn’t. Things happened. Someone on board became critically ill and needed to go to a hospital. The ship’s captain, JP, made the decision to turn the ship around so that the passenger could be disembarked and given medical care in Hawaii. Never mind that we had left Maui the day before and had already traveled 400 miles. He made a U-turn right there in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It was a full day’s journey back to Honolulu. We pulled into a slip around 8:00 pm Thursday evening, the “Aloha” clock tower shining brightly to welcome us back. Thankfully, the passenger made it safely to the hospital and got the medical attention they needed.


Meanwhile, the captain had to work to get an exemption from traveling to Ensenada. Thankfully, after many hours of negotiation, the exemption was granted. The ship’s course was changed; we traveled straight from Honolulu to San Francisco. Through a major storm, that is! Sixty-mile per hour winds, 15-20-foot waves, and pelting rain. Needless to say, it was a bumpy ride for a couple days. To keep passengers from being thrown all over the boat, the captain had to slow down. This, of course, delayed the timeline of our return even more.

Ultimately, we returned to San Francisco in one piece around 3:00 pm. on Tuesday the 11th. Despite the change of course, we still had a very nice time and made some great memories.

As I look back over the trip, it’s a perfect picture of life. Let’s face it, nothing ever works out the way we plan. Things happen. Our course can change in a heartbeat. But God knows where we’re going. He’s at the helm. If we trust Him, things will turn out okay. Better than okay! It’s not to say that we won’t pass through storms and get kicked around. We will. It’s guaranteed! Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NIV). God promises us protection. Spiritual protection, that is. In the physical realm, we still experience trials. We get sick. We get hurt. Sometimes we suffer great losses. We will all eventually die, some of us sooner than later.

The important thing to know is that God protects our eternal soul. He keeps the enemy at bay. And He brings us safely into paradise. Heaven is WAY BEYOND anything we could ever imagine. It’s a billion times better than the most beautiful tropical island we can dream up. Once we step foot there, all our trials and troubles here on earth will pass away and be forgotten.

Until that day, we sail along day by day. Some days its smooth sailing; others, its choppy and bumpy. Hold on to the rails. Take Jesus’ hand. He’ll get us to our ultimate destination, Heaven, safe and sound exactly according to His timeline. Trust your captain. He knows what He’s doing.

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