The world is good at planning. Over the years I’ve spent countless hours planning and attending meetings to plan for planning, do planning, review plans, adjust plans, etc. Planning is good. But how can we distinguish wise planning from vain planning? How can we discern what plans in which to place trust?
At one point it seemed God was drawing me to assess the state of my work and association with a particular large organization. I remember coming to the conclusion that the management, coming from Ivy League schools, had an excellent track record, and for many years had been skillful in making decisions; and one way or another, the division I worked with would continue to prosper. It did until the economy played tricks on everybody. Then the balloon burst. Looking back, God’s promptings were for a reason. It was a test. It seemed right to blindly trust the management. It was the wrong decision. Almighty God knew better. He had a better plan.
RELEVANCE
Too often we take the easy road and place our trust in things and people that appear to be right, look good and give us a sense of security. It’s the old story of the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Everything about the latter type appears good, but it is an illusion. So is everything not rooted in God or fed by His Spirit. At one point or another, its true colors will be exposed; then the bite will sting. The lesson: no man is invincible and no plans are immune from the sovereign divine providence of God.
In the Bible, God used Israel and Egypt as object lessons. The children of Israel put their trust in Egypt time after time. Everything about Egypt gave an appearance of being a trustworthy, fool-proof resource. Isaiah revealed God’s truth about the matter: the best of man’s plans and resources can be nothing but traps and snares that prevent us from trusting God and earnestly seeking and walking in His wisdom.
“Woe to the rebellious children,” says the LORD,
“Who take counsel, but not of Me,
And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit,
That they may add sin to sin;
Who walk to go down to Egypt,
And have not asked My advice,
To strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh,
And to trust in the shadow of Egypt!”
(Isaiah 30:1-2)
REFLECT AND RELATE
What plans are shaping and influencing your life? Assess them. Earnestly seek God for His truth. Be willing to make adjustments as He brings truth to the light.
REFERENCES
Job 5:8-27; Psalm 33:10-11