I Love It When a Plan Comes Together

Are you old enough to remember that 1970’s TV series, The A Team?  I am embarrassed to say that I remember it and even more embarrassed to admit that I did watch it a few times.  Actually a few times was all that was required because it was as formulaic as any series that has been on TV, which is saying a lot.  In any case, as I recall our intrepid team of heroes was headed by George Peppard who played John “Hannibal” Smith. The cast also included Mr. T who played one of the team members and was more memorable for his appearance than his acting, even in a cast noted for woodenness. 

I have engaged in this trip down memory lane because of one of the memorable lines from the show.  Our intrepid leader Hannibal would say in every show (indeed, it was the catchphrase), “I love it when a plan comes together.” I have been following a suggestion by my Bishop, Bp. Linda Nicholls, that every Anglican join in an exercise to read the bible in a year.  We are assisted in this through an on-line web site, The Bible Challenge https://thebiblechallenge.org/.  Now, I believe that this is an excellent suggestion because Anglicans are not generally known for their biblical knowledge and reading the bible regularly is something that can benefit every Christian.  In any case, being a dutiful priest, I am trying to follow that suggestion and have been doing so faithfully for a while.  There have been a number of passages that I had not been aware of and that have surprised me.  One that I found most interesting was the Old Testament passage for February 7^th, Exodus chapters 26 and 27.  This section of the book of Exodus goes into great detail about God’s command to Moses to built a tabernacle which would serve as a portable dwelling place for God while they were in the wilderness.

The detail that God gives to Moses in these chapters is quite amazing; for example, the passage begins with a description of the curtains which will form the dwelling:

“Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them. 2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, [1] and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be the same size. 3 Five curtains shall be coupled to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another. 4 And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set. Likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. 5 Fifty loops you shall make on the one curtain, and fifty loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another. 6 And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single whole.

Note that God just doesn’t say make some curtains.  He gives instructions on the number, what they will be made of, their dimensions, how they will be attached and by how many loops, and so on.  This level of detail continues for all aspect of the tabernacle and all the equipment that will be used in it and all the furnishings.  God seems for this to be a very detail oriented divine being.  In this, God would agree with the immortal Hannibal Smith that it is necessary to have a plan if you are going to succeed.  God would also agree with Hannibal that God loves it when a plan comes together.

Now this is great for someone who is detail oriented.  I am not one who is accomplished at making detailed plans; I am more of a big picture person (at least that is my excuse).  However, I heartily agree that detailed plans are helpful and even necessary to being something to successful fruition.  I become rather frustrated when plans are not well thought out and are not very clear, as I am reminded whenever I try to follow an operating manual for computer software or the instructions for assembling something I have just bought.  As I have said in those times, the three most frightening words in the English language are, ‘some assembly required’. 

The point here is that God seems to be saying int his passage that here are the instructions for doing what I am commanding you to do, Moses.  And they seem to have been good instructions because, according to the account in Exodus, the tabernacle was built to the satisfaction of God; and God was not easy to satisfy in those days.  I wonder if God is any easier to satisfy today?  Perhaps we need a new set of instructions regarding how to fulfill God’s commandment.  God doesn’t seem to be as detailed oriented today as God was back in Moses’ time. 

We have been given the commandment, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  However, we seem to be lacking a set of operating instructions how we are to do this seemingly impossible task. 

Well, perhaps God has more faith in us than we have in ourselves.  However, it hasn’t seemed to have worked out very well so far but we are called to keep trying.  Indeed, a quote by Samuel Beckett I heard this past weekend seems to apply, “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better”.

God knows that we are going to fail in so many ways in our attempts to follow this commandment but we are promised forgiveness when that happens.  So, I would say keep on keeping on and love you neighbour even if he or she is not particularly lovable.  Then again, I am not particularly lovable at times either.   Perhaps we will fail better if we have a plan.  Perhaps it will actually come together. 

Blessings on your journey.