DAILY DEVOTIONAL – June 12, 2020
“Plan to Prevail“
Prayer: Jesus, You have prevailed over sin, death, and the Devil through Your death and resurrection. We have every reason to trust You with everything. Help us Lord, to do that. Amen.
Scripture: Proverbs 16:9
The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.
Devotional – “Plan to Prevail”
When I was in 6th grade preparing to make the first big transition of my young life into middle school, I remember my sixth grade teacher giving us a worksheet entitled, “Dream Big.” The worksheet had you write down the things you like, the things you didn’t like, things you wanted to learn, and finally at the end it asked the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I remember very distinctly what I wanted to be in the 6th grade; I wanted to be a professional sky diving instructor. Why? I have no idea, but that is for sure what I knew I wanted to be.
When I was in the 8th grade preparing to make the next big transition of my life into high school, I wanted to be a professional marching band trumpet player and go into the Marine Corps like my father.
By the time I was graduating from high school and preparing to go to college, I wanted to be a criminal psychologist and a detective, who played trumpet professionally on the side. By the end of my first year in college, I decided I was just going to be a music major. By the end of my second year in college I decided I was going to be a Music Therapist working in prisons…then just a music teacher…then a freelance musician and private teacher…then I didn’t know what in the world I was doing or what I wanted to do with only one year left in school before I graduated with a music performance degree.
At some point early on in that final year, after having successfully made a mess out of my life once or twice and taking two years longer than I ever should have to graduate from college, through a mix of patient grace and loving Fatherly discipline, the Lord made it abundantly clear to me that I was supposed to go to seminary. In all honesty, I fought it. I couldn’t hardly believe it myself when I received my acceptance letter from the seminary. Despite the fact that I had proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that I had no idea where my life was headed, I still thought God was making a huge mistake. Two things I know for sure. God knows me better than I know myself, and still, there was no question that I was supposed to go to seminary.
It wasn’t until the end of my second year in seminary that I felt I had somewhat of a clear idea of what a pastor does. It wasn’t until my fourth year (out of five) that I actually thought I could see myself being a pastor. As it turns out, God knows what He is doing…imagine that! I am the farthest thing from perfect as a person and as a pastor, and though I still find it hard to believe this is the career and calling I have, I know I’m doing what God, in only His perfect wisdom, wants me to do. What will I be doing tomorrow? I have learned to try my best not think about that or try to answer that question.
If I have learned anything in my life thus far, it’s what Scripture says in our text for today in Proverbs 16, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
We love to make plans don’t we? On the one hand, we should make plans and we should be responsible, organized, and intentional about our life. Proverbs 14:15 says, “The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says, “Test everything; hold fast what is good.” Now, while Scripture does encourage us to use the brain God graciously gave us and to do everything in our God-given capacity to be responsible and plan ahead, Scripture never calls us, teaches us, or tells us to rely on our plans or to put them ahead of walking by faith alone in Jesus and His Word. When we do, there are no doubt going to be consequences. God gave Adam and Ever a clear direction. They chose to take their own path. You know how that ended. Abraham believed the promise of God to give him a land and a son even in his old age, but, when the promise of God wasn’t fulfilled according to Abram’s timeline, he and Sarah chose to take matters into their own hands. The result was willful adultery and a broken home. King Saul chose his own plans over the Word of God given to Him by the prophet Samuel, the result was Saul’s decay into insanity. Judas Iscariot and the Temple authorities that they knew the king and Messiah God should give them, and the result was that they killed the One He did send; the only One that could save them.
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” – Prov. 19:21
Through His suffering and death, and through His resurrection, through His victory over sin, despite the wicked scheming of wicked men and the Devil’s best efforts, Jesus has proven that His good and gracious will, will be done; His plans will prevail and they have prevailed! The victory is won for you and for me. The grave is defeated. Christ has Risen, and with Him, Scripture says you, and I, and everyone who puts their faith in Christ has also already been raised to life.
The Good News of the Gospel is that we don’t have to rely on our plans for tomorrow, we can rely on God’s plan for our eternal salvation that has already prevailed in Jesus. Only then are we free to live in the fullness of joy and peace that Christ has promised is ours today.
Whatever your plans are my friends, make them in the Word of God, make them in diligent prayer, seeking His gracious will, and make your plans remembering the Words of Jesus in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Thanks for joining me for another time in daily devotion in God’s Word, and remember, that God has forgiven yesterday, is with you today, and has already taken care of tomorrow. Amen.
