Proverbs 19:21 (ESV)
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."
Have you ever known or worked around the type of person who is always running from one scheme to another. They come up with cunning plans to get rich quick. Or they have great plans to make life easier. Or maybe they can’t stay in one place for more than a year or two before their plans dictate they move to another job in another city for a better life. It’s one thing after another. One set of great plans after another. Unfortunately none of their great plans seem to work out. The perfect job, the perfect place to live, and the perfect life are always just out of reach.
Maybe you are that person. At times I have been. There have been times in my life when this described me perfectly. I just knew my plans were good ones. Sometimes they were well thought out. Sometimes they were done on the fly. But I knew they would work. After all they were "my plans". And therein was the problem. The word in this verse translated in the ESV as "mind" is most often translated as heart. Jeremiah uses this word for heart in Jer 17:9 where he writes "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Now if my heart is deceitful and wicked and difficult to know then why should I rely on the many plans that are hatched in it?
Think about this for a minute. I follow the plans of my heart over and over again. Then over and over again my plans fall short of satisfying my deceitful heart. Do you see the common denominator here? They are "my" plans, "my" thoughts, "my" ideas and "my"(fill in the blank). It really doesn’t make much sense. On the one hand I have this deceitful, wicked and hard to know heart but I continue to rely on it to plan and guide my life. On the other hand God waits with a purpose and a plan that will stand up strong yet I refuse to get in line with it. His is a plan that will remain. It will accomplish His intended purpose.
If you find yourself frustrated with plans that never seem to work out; If you find your plans never seem to satisfy your longing for something more, something easier or something better; If you seem to expend a lot of energy and have little to show for it; Then I encourage you to let go of your plans and seek His purpose and plan for your life. He will likely not show you the whole plan at once. He may only show you the plan for the next step. But no matter how He reveals His plan to you and no matter how He leads you in it, you can be confident in this... He is always faithful. You can trust Him. He will not fail you. His plan will stand. You may not see a change in your surroundings or circumstances or even outcomes but you will see them in a different light. In submission to His plan and purpose you will find a peace that passes human understanding. You will find contentment in a path of His choosing. And you will find great satisfaction in accomplishing His plan for your life.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Proverbs Chapter 18
Proverbs 18:10 (ESV)
"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe."
Tag! You’re it! Remember that game? The game of all games for kids. It’s been played for decades and even centuries by children around the world in some form or another. It can be played at any place, in darkness or daylight, and with no equipment. All you need are a bunch of energetic children and the game is on. One particular rule common to most variations of the game of "Tag!" is that there is usually a designated "base". Base is a place of safety where one cannot be tagged by the "It". A place where one can rest. A place where one can discuss strategy with friends and work out a plan to evade the "It" for a while longer. No matter how slow or weak a child is they can find peace and safety at the base.
In the living of this life there are a number of "It’s" trying to tag us. There is the "It" of discouragement and despair; the "It" of pain; the "It" of depression; and the "It" of trials and tribulations. Inevitably we will all be tagged by one of these "It’s". We lose a job. Tag! You’re it! We a loved one dies. Tag! You’re it! Health problems come. Tag! You’re it! The car breaks down. Tag! You’re it! A child goes astray. Tag! You’re it! The list goes on and on. You will be tagged and you will be it. When you are tagged keep this in mind. The Name of the LORD is our strong tower. He is our base. He is the place where we can rest up for the next session of "Tag!".
Notice this verse does not say the righteous are always in the strong tower. It says that the righteous man runs to it when he needs to be safe. That’s not to say that God is not with us always. He is. It doesn’t mean that we are out from under His protection. We are not. I think God is trying to tell us that "life happens" but He is there as our "Base". We walk through life in our human form and the "It’s" are chasing us. We know that David walked with God but over and over again we read of him getting tagged by the "It’s" chasing him. Overwhelmed he said "How many are they that rise up against me" . In discouragement he said "How long will you forget me and hide your face from me? Forever?" In fear and confusion he said "Why have you forsaken me and why will you not help me?" Like David, we are sometimes overwhelmed. Like David we get discouraged. Like David we experience fear and confusion. And like David we can run to our strong tower. We can run to the LORD and be safe.
God never promised us an "It" free life. But He did promise to always be our "base". He never said we won’t get tagged but He did say that we can find safety and peace in Him. So remember this... No matter what "It’ is chasing you or has even caught you, the "Base" is never far away. Find peace and rest in the strong tower. Run to Him and be safe.
"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe."
Tag! You’re it! Remember that game? The game of all games for kids. It’s been played for decades and even centuries by children around the world in some form or another. It can be played at any place, in darkness or daylight, and with no equipment. All you need are a bunch of energetic children and the game is on. One particular rule common to most variations of the game of "Tag!" is that there is usually a designated "base". Base is a place of safety where one cannot be tagged by the "It". A place where one can rest. A place where one can discuss strategy with friends and work out a plan to evade the "It" for a while longer. No matter how slow or weak a child is they can find peace and safety at the base.
In the living of this life there are a number of "It’s" trying to tag us. There is the "It" of discouragement and despair; the "It" of pain; the "It" of depression; and the "It" of trials and tribulations. Inevitably we will all be tagged by one of these "It’s". We lose a job. Tag! You’re it! We a loved one dies. Tag! You’re it! Health problems come. Tag! You’re it! The car breaks down. Tag! You’re it! A child goes astray. Tag! You’re it! The list goes on and on. You will be tagged and you will be it. When you are tagged keep this in mind. The Name of the LORD is our strong tower. He is our base. He is the place where we can rest up for the next session of "Tag!".
Notice this verse does not say the righteous are always in the strong tower. It says that the righteous man runs to it when he needs to be safe. That’s not to say that God is not with us always. He is. It doesn’t mean that we are out from under His protection. We are not. I think God is trying to tell us that "life happens" but He is there as our "Base". We walk through life in our human form and the "It’s" are chasing us. We know that David walked with God but over and over again we read of him getting tagged by the "It’s" chasing him. Overwhelmed he said "How many are they that rise up against me" . In discouragement he said "How long will you forget me and hide your face from me? Forever?" In fear and confusion he said "Why have you forsaken me and why will you not help me?" Like David, we are sometimes overwhelmed. Like David we get discouraged. Like David we experience fear and confusion. And like David we can run to our strong tower. We can run to the LORD and be safe.
God never promised us an "It" free life. But He did promise to always be our "base". He never said we won’t get tagged but He did say that we can find safety and peace in Him. So remember this... No matter what "It’ is chasing you or has even caught you, the "Base" is never far away. Find peace and rest in the strong tower. Run to Him and be safe.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Proverbs Chapter 17
Proverbs 17:22 (ESV)
"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
Recently I had a very bad headache. The pain was such that I felt tired, lethargic and even depressed. All I wanted to do was lie down on the couch but that did nothing to relieve the pain. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t concentrate, and I didn’t want to be around other people. Unfortunately, it was coming on to time for practice for the church men’s basketball team, which I had committed to participate in. Like a good team member I went to practice. Amazingly, after running around the court and working up a sweat, the headache went away. I was reminded of something I had read and even experienced before.
During strenuous exercise the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus produce chemicals called endorphins. These chemicals resemble opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a sense of well-being. In other words they act as natural pain relievers. Perhaps you have heard of runners feeling a second wind or "runner’s high" after running for a while. This often helps a well trained runner to push past the point he "thinks" of as his limit. Weight lifters or those who do aerobic exercises also feel this sense of a "rush" at some point in or after their period of exercise.
This is a truth that is captured in the meaning of Proverbs 17:22. Just like exercise produces these natural pain relievers so rejoicing produces "spiritual" endorphins. Rejoicing is GOOD medicine. It’s no accident that David, in the Psalms, tells us over and over again to rejoice. David knew the relieving power of rejoicing in his life. He experienced pain and suffering. When he focused on his troubles, depression set in. There seemed to be no hope. The pain felt unbearable. His broken or crushed spirit literally sucked the life right out of him. But then he experienced the "second wind" or "runner’s high" that came when he chose to rejoice in his circumstances.
When you read through the Psalms you will notice two common characteristics about rejoicing. The context is often directly related to God’s work or God’s character. And it’s mentioned as an imperative. David doesn’t say "Try this, you might like it. It might do you some good". He says "Rejoice in the Lord". This is not to say that in every bad thing that happens in our life we jump up and shout "Hallelujah"! When we react this way it would seem that we are focused on the pain or the thing that caused the pain. When something happens that causes pain to our soul or body we can look at our Mighty God and know that He is working out His plan for our lives. We rejoice not in the "painful thing" but in the God who will see us through the time of pain and sorrow. We rejoice in that we know He has been faithful and will continue to be so in the lives of His people.
So when you experience the pain and suffering that comes with living this life, I encourage you to exercise in rejoicing and allow the spiritual endorphins to ease your pain and give you a sense of well-being. Rejoice in the Lord. It’s GOOD medicine.
"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
Recently I had a very bad headache. The pain was such that I felt tired, lethargic and even depressed. All I wanted to do was lie down on the couch but that did nothing to relieve the pain. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t concentrate, and I didn’t want to be around other people. Unfortunately, it was coming on to time for practice for the church men’s basketball team, which I had committed to participate in. Like a good team member I went to practice. Amazingly, after running around the court and working up a sweat, the headache went away. I was reminded of something I had read and even experienced before.
During strenuous exercise the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus produce chemicals called endorphins. These chemicals resemble opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a sense of well-being. In other words they act as natural pain relievers. Perhaps you have heard of runners feeling a second wind or "runner’s high" after running for a while. This often helps a well trained runner to push past the point he "thinks" of as his limit. Weight lifters or those who do aerobic exercises also feel this sense of a "rush" at some point in or after their period of exercise.
This is a truth that is captured in the meaning of Proverbs 17:22. Just like exercise produces these natural pain relievers so rejoicing produces "spiritual" endorphins. Rejoicing is GOOD medicine. It’s no accident that David, in the Psalms, tells us over and over again to rejoice. David knew the relieving power of rejoicing in his life. He experienced pain and suffering. When he focused on his troubles, depression set in. There seemed to be no hope. The pain felt unbearable. His broken or crushed spirit literally sucked the life right out of him. But then he experienced the "second wind" or "runner’s high" that came when he chose to rejoice in his circumstances.
When you read through the Psalms you will notice two common characteristics about rejoicing. The context is often directly related to God’s work or God’s character. And it’s mentioned as an imperative. David doesn’t say "Try this, you might like it. It might do you some good". He says "Rejoice in the Lord". This is not to say that in every bad thing that happens in our life we jump up and shout "Hallelujah"! When we react this way it would seem that we are focused on the pain or the thing that caused the pain. When something happens that causes pain to our soul or body we can look at our Mighty God and know that He is working out His plan for our lives. We rejoice not in the "painful thing" but in the God who will see us through the time of pain and sorrow. We rejoice in that we know He has been faithful and will continue to be so in the lives of His people.
So when you experience the pain and suffering that comes with living this life, I encourage you to exercise in rejoicing and allow the spiritual endorphins to ease your pain and give you a sense of well-being. Rejoice in the Lord. It’s GOOD medicine.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Proverbs Chapter 16
Proverbs 16:3 (ESV)
"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."
When I attended Bible College way back in the late 70's I was surrounded by young men very much like myself. We fervently desired to serve the Lord. We were diligently studying to be able to fulfill what we believed to be God’s call in our lives to preach or serve Him in some "full-time" capacity. The desire to serve God was there in great measure. Fervor and sincerity were in abundance. But there were questions that seemed to naturally go hand-in-hand with this calling, desire, fervor and sincerity. "Where does God want me to serve?" "Where does He want me to fulfill His plan in my life?" "Where am I supposed to go with all my knowledge and training?" "When can I get started?" I am not knocking these questions. They are necessary questions that eventually need to be answered. But here is the problem I saw much too often.... Many were focused so strongly on trying to find answers to these questions that they did little to joyfully serve God right where they were. I dare say things are probably not much different in Bible Colleges today. In fact, I would say this is true of Christians throughout the Body of Christ. We often get so focused on finding God’s plan for us tomorrow that we neglect to do His work today. This is in direct contradiction to the truth in Proverbs 16:3.
Solomon tells us first to commit our work to the Lord. Then he says that our plans will be established. The root idea of the word used here for "commit" is "to roll". It is used most often in the OT for "to roll a stone". So we are to "roll" our work unto or upon the Lord. Closely tied to this idea of "commit" or "roll the stone" is trust. In Psalm 37:5 David says, "Commit (same word as in Prov 16:3) your way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." We trust in Him to provide a way that is smooth enough for our stone to roll. That’s not to say it will be smooth like a gym floor but it will always be smooth enough. The way may be uphill. It may be downhill. There may be bumps and twists and turns in the road but His way is always "stone ready". We commit to roll our stone upon Him, and He establishes the plan or direction for the rolling of our stone. We trust in Him to prepare a path for our stone and He will remove the obstacles, lead us around the obstacles or give us strength to push right on through the obstacles. He has a plan for us and it is a good plan. But often that plan is revealed a section at a time. We see the next turn, the next mountain top, the next long valley or the next rest stop. His plan is always appropriate for the stone He gives us to roll.
If you are struggling with knowing His plan for your life I encourage you trust Him enough today to do the tasks He has for you. Commit to serve Him today. Do His will today. Then He will establish your plans. Walk with Him step by step, valley after hill and obstacle after obstacle. Start "rolling your stone" today and see where He rolls it. I am confident you will not be disappointed!
"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."
When I attended Bible College way back in the late 70's I was surrounded by young men very much like myself. We fervently desired to serve the Lord. We were diligently studying to be able to fulfill what we believed to be God’s call in our lives to preach or serve Him in some "full-time" capacity. The desire to serve God was there in great measure. Fervor and sincerity were in abundance. But there were questions that seemed to naturally go hand-in-hand with this calling, desire, fervor and sincerity. "Where does God want me to serve?" "Where does He want me to fulfill His plan in my life?" "Where am I supposed to go with all my knowledge and training?" "When can I get started?" I am not knocking these questions. They are necessary questions that eventually need to be answered. But here is the problem I saw much too often.... Many were focused so strongly on trying to find answers to these questions that they did little to joyfully serve God right where they were. I dare say things are probably not much different in Bible Colleges today. In fact, I would say this is true of Christians throughout the Body of Christ. We often get so focused on finding God’s plan for us tomorrow that we neglect to do His work today. This is in direct contradiction to the truth in Proverbs 16:3.
Solomon tells us first to commit our work to the Lord. Then he says that our plans will be established. The root idea of the word used here for "commit" is "to roll". It is used most often in the OT for "to roll a stone". So we are to "roll" our work unto or upon the Lord. Closely tied to this idea of "commit" or "roll the stone" is trust. In Psalm 37:5 David says, "Commit (same word as in Prov 16:3) your way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." We trust in Him to provide a way that is smooth enough for our stone to roll. That’s not to say it will be smooth like a gym floor but it will always be smooth enough. The way may be uphill. It may be downhill. There may be bumps and twists and turns in the road but His way is always "stone ready". We commit to roll our stone upon Him, and He establishes the plan or direction for the rolling of our stone. We trust in Him to prepare a path for our stone and He will remove the obstacles, lead us around the obstacles or give us strength to push right on through the obstacles. He has a plan for us and it is a good plan. But often that plan is revealed a section at a time. We see the next turn, the next mountain top, the next long valley or the next rest stop. His plan is always appropriate for the stone He gives us to roll.
If you are struggling with knowing His plan for your life I encourage you trust Him enough today to do the tasks He has for you. Commit to serve Him today. Do His will today. Then He will establish your plans. Walk with Him step by step, valley after hill and obstacle after obstacle. Start "rolling your stone" today and see where He rolls it. I am confident you will not be disappointed!
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