Back to Basics
Monday, January 7, 2008
“The Best Laid Plans…”
1We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer. Proverbs 16:1 NLT
In today’s Scripture we see that while it is important for us to make plans in our lives, what is even more important is calling on the Lord to confirm OR transform those plans! It has been said that failing to plan is planning to fail. Indeed, when we don’t make any plans in our lives, just sort of drifting from moment to moment without any sense of purpose or direction, we waste a great deal of time, and allow others to plan our lives for us. At the same time, we can sit down and plan every detail of 2008, and then set ourselves to the task of accomplishing our plans, and still end the year without a sense of overall meaning and purpose. That’s because unless our plans are in line with the Lord’s plan for our lives, they are ultimately “fruitless.” As I pointed out in my message on Sunday, Jesus reminded us that it profits or benefits us nothing even if we gain the “whole world,” but forfeit our souls. Thus, having our plans confirmed by the Lord is vital. Maybe a better way to say that would be—putting the Lord FIRST in our planning is vital. Sometimes folks think that we only need to involve the Lord when we’re making “spiritual” plans, things like Bible study programs, or whether to participate in a LIFE group, or the like. Actually, we need to involve the Lord in ALL our plans. God is as concerned about what we do at work as He is about what we do in worship. After all, He is Lord of our lives, not just Lord of Sunday morning. He wants us to turn to Him as we make all of our plans. He cares about our relationships, about our activities, about our studies, about EVERYTHING we are and do.
Sometimes when we make plans we have prayed about them, and assume that means we have received the right answer. That MAY be. At the same time we may need to take additional time in prayer to listen to God’s answer. That’s particularly true, when we already have an idea and we just want God to “bless” it. As the old saying goes, It’s more important to ask God to give us the opportunity to do what He’s blessing than to bless what we’re doing. In the end, as we make God more and more part of our live at every moment, we’ll come to ask Him to confirm our transform our plans at every turn.
Questions and Comments for Reflection and Action:
What plans are you making right now? Have you asked God for His input?
How do you know when God is giving you His answer to your plans? (Key: The answer will be confirmed in God’s word!)
Take some time right now to ask God to show you specific plans He has for you!