Plans. We all have them, and like me many of yours have been cancelled in the wake of these current circumstances. Family trips, plays, amusement parks, sporting events, church, school, all have been cancelled. Graduations, retreats, school opening, church services, jobs, toilet paper, TBD.
The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. -Proverbs 16:9 ESV
I have to be honest, I have been really sad. The events on my calendar gave me something to look forward to -- celebration, closure, family time, rest, and now -- who knows??
The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. -Proverbs 16:9 ESV
I love the LORD, I am called according to His purposes, I know He is greater than the storm, I know, I know, I know. But I am still sad. I remember hearing Joni Erickson Tada say something years ago that has always stuck with me. Basically, she said that God didn't turn His back and in that moment she dove into the water and broke her neck. No, her accident didn't surprise God. He didn't say, "Shoot, now how do I fix this?" He said, "Joni, this is my plan for you."
Nothing happening in our cities, states, country, or world is coming as a surprise to God! He knew where we would be today. He knew the plans that would be thwarted, the ones that would be cancelled, the ones that would be postponed. He knew, He knew, He knew.
I know the plans I have for you declares the LORD - Jeremiah 29:11. We can all recite this verse by heart, can't we? We have used it to encourage people; put it in graduation cards. God promises to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us a hope and a future, right?! Have you ever read this verse in context? God is making this promise to the exiles, those who had been taken from Jerusalem and sent to be slaves in Babylon. God tells them to settle in for the long haul and after 70 years in exile He will fulfill His good promise to bring them back to Jerusalem, because He knows the plans He has for them. The plans for them to prosper and not harm, to give a hope and a future are in Babylon - in EXILE! He is using these circumstances in their lives to turn their eyes to Him. Verses 12 -14 say:
"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."
God is saying the plans He has for them in exile are to cause them to turn to Him, pray to Him, seek Him and find Him with their whole heart and when that takes place He will bring them back from their exile. (Kinda puts a different spin on your graduation greeting, doesn't it...)
The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. -Proverbs 16:9 ESV
How is God calling you right now to pray, to seek Him, to find Him with your whole heart? How is God seeking to establish your steps?
I am finding my hope and joy today in seeking God to shed light on how He is ordering my steps. I am choosing to pray and seek Him with all my heart so I can find Him - He promises that too (Jeremiah 29:13). He will order my steps and reveal His plans for me and they will be for my good, yes, but more importantly for His glory!