A number of years ago when I was a youth pastor in the Bay area of California, I had the opportunity to minister to many young people with varying backgrounds. Not all of my high school students came from well-adjusted homes; some grew up in broken homes where the father had abandoned the family. Todd was one of those high students in my youth group who was abandoned by his father and seemingly never got over it. The desertion of his father caused Todd to continually struggle, even though God supplied him with loving adoptive parents, and many faithful friends in our youth group. For Todd, God’s alternate rescue plan ("Plan B") did not satisfy him. What Todd did not understand was that historically God’s "Plan B" was the rescue effort He was compelled to use in almost every generation due to the dominating presence and devastation of sin. The implementation of "Plan B" (God’s rescue arrangement) actually began in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were intended to live out their entire lives in the presence of God, without the presence of sin ("Plan A or God’s intended will"). Yet when Adam and Eve chose sin, God immediately responded with "Plan B" which was an amazing salvage effort that would not only rescue them but everyone who would ever be born (Genesis: 14-15). " Plan B" was unparalleled because it involved the incredible sacrifice of His Son on a torturous cross, a lengthy passage of time before the plan was completed, and man’s continuous opportunity to accept "Plan B" throughout every age (Romans 5:14-16, 2 Cor. 5:14-15). "Plan B" pays the price for everyone’s sin (Romans 3:23); the only thing blocking it is individual response. God does not force any of us to accept His plan; He only draws us to it (John 6:44). God in His predestined plan does not make us chose it; He created us with the freedom to chose, whether good or bad. (Romans 8:29-30, Romans 10:9, 10, 14).

"Plan B" (God’s rescue effort) for Todd’s life did not impact him until one memorable summer weekend with our youth group in Yosemite Valley, California. During the course of our retreat, God really spoke to Todd in a way that changed his thinking forever about God’s "Plan B". In preparation for the Saturday morning devotion, I gathered over 150 teenagers together for a time of worshipful singing. After we finished, I instructed them to find a place in the meadow for a time of quiet devotion. I asked each to read one of the Psalms and be prepared to share with the group what God had revealed to them when we returned for the concluding session. I told them to pick the Psalm that represented most closely the day on which they were born. As an example, February 7^th (2^nd month, 7^th day) could be Psalm 2:7. After about 30 minutes, each of the students began to make their way back to our gathering. The sharing was rich as each student had a lot to say, but Todd’s comments spoke to all of us the loudest that day. He told us that at first he had no intention of reading any Psalm, but the curiosity of which Psalm represented his birthday got to him. As Todd stated that morning, "When I read the Psalm of my birthday, I could only cry tears of joy. The great burden of being without a father was taken from me, because of what I felt the Lord said to me in that Psalm." Then Todd read to us Palm 2:7, "I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord; He said to Me, Thou art My Son." Todd was never the same after that day;" Plan B" in his life was satisfying.

In your Teachable Moment take your children to a near by park where there is a river or creek. If you can find one with a number of bridges like in Boise, Idaho then all the better. We presently have a bridge over the Boise River that is still under construction, so in order to get across the river we all have to cross another bridge down stream. Cross the bridge down stream with your children. Then sit down with them and help them find the Psalm that represents their birthday. Along with discussing it, share with them that sometimes "Plan A’s" in God’s kingdom don’t workout because of sin. But instead of giving up, cross down stream with God’s "Plan B" bridge.

Genesis 3: 14-15 14 The Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; on your belly you will go, And dust you will eat all the days of your life; 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.