I know for myself, it is a common habit to tell what my intended plans are for the near future. ''I'm going to ...... or I will see you there on .....'' I have a friend who has been a diligent example to me when he always follows his spoken plans with ''the Lord willing.''
This week in bible study, the term practical atheism was referred to as planning without the thought of God's involvement in those plans. The book of James warns against such self confidence because we don't know one minute to the next what will happen. We are to set goals and make plans but we want them fulfilled according to God's will, not just our own.
I know it's fun to look forward to an upcoming event and when something interrupts or cancels the plans, the disappointment is real. When that happens, we have to trust that it happened for a reason. You may have been spared of something bad or blessed in an alternate way. A survivor of 9/11 had this story.... the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work
but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That is why he is alive today.
So make your plans but make sure you know and realize that they are subject to change by the Great Planner of all.
James 4;13-16 ''Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.''
God is in the small things and the big things for sure. And He is sovereign. While we are not. Thanks for the reminder. Glad God laid this one on your heart for today.
ReplyDeleteHow appropriate! My next tea party for the granddaughters is going to revolve around "time." I was just thinking this morning about the different verses in Scripture the deal with time. Indeed, "our lives are not our own; we were bought with a price. Therefore we must glorify God in our bodiesm which are His." Thank you, Angie, for such an insightful message for the day.
ReplyDeleteAt least, Lord willing, my next tea party will revolve around time! :o)
ReplyDeleteYou really are 'hearing.' I appreciate you so much.
ReplyDeletegrace, in His grace
What a great theme to start the week with. I want to develop the habit of sincerely ending each statement of future plans with "if the Lord wills." Because as the passage states, "All other such boasting is evil." Thanks Angie for giving me a good start to this week. Joel. (I hope you're getting better.} Joel
ReplyDeleteThis is sure applicable to today's luncheon. Good reminder to look to His plans rather than our own.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love this! My sweet mother almost always used to say, "Good Lord willing"....and she would sometimes add, "and the creek don't rise" before she said what her goals for the day or week were. I find myself saying "I plan to" or "I hope to", and then sometimes I even use Mother's words. So true that we never know what God has in store for us from one day to the next. What is that saying, "I plan the path, but God directs the steps"? Something like that. Actually, He plans it all and allows us to walk it with Him. If we could just remember in those interrupted times that God is in control and He has our best interests at heart...just as the Bible tells us in Romans 8:28. Love you friend, T.
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