FUTILE PLANS

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com. 

In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

The Lord is a God who avenges. O God who avenges, shine forth. Rise up, Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve. How long, Lord, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant?

They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting. They crush Your people, Lord; they oppress Your inheritance. They slay the widow and the foreigner; they murder the fatherless.
They say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice.”

Take notice, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise? Does He who fashioned the ear not hear? Does He who formed the eye not see? Does He who disciplines nations not punish? Does He who teaches mankind lack knowledge?

The Lord knows all human plans; He knows that they are futile.

Psalm 94:1-11

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

We are often a people who have big plans.

Read any worldly book on being in successful in life and they will almost always delve into the importance of planning. You should have short term goals and long term goals and intermediate goals that serve as stepping stones in between to help you get to where you want to be. We invest a lot of time thinking about our plans and carefully analyze them to make sure we do everything just right. We consult others for advice and then almost obsess over making sure we are making progress. Failure is not an option. In fact, we’re willing to sacrifice whatever is necessary sometime just so our plans can succeed.

Yes, we all are very good at making plans. There’s only one problem. They are all futile.

We know this because God’s word tells us so. Look at these opening verses of the 94th Psalm:

The Lord is a God who avenges. O God who avenges, shine forth. Rise up, Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve. How long, Lord, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant?

They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting. They crush Your people, Lord; they oppress Your inheritance. They slay the widow and the foreigner; they murder the fatherless. They say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice.”

Take notice, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise? Does He who fashioned the ear not hear? Does He who formed the eye not see? Does He who disciplines nations not punish? Does He who teaches mankind lack knowledge?

The Lord knows all human plans; He knows that they are futile.

The scriptures are clear. God knows all our human plans. He knows what they are and He knows they are futile.

Does this mean that God doesn’t want His people to plan?

No, but God wants His people’s plans to be His plans. He wants them to first seek Him, asking Him to reveal His plans for their life, and then respond obediently, allowing the Lord to lead and guide them to success. In this process, it is God’s will that always ends up being done and not our own. Consider these words of guidance from the Lord as He speaks in Jeremiah, Chapter 29:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 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.” Jeremiah 29:11-13

God knows our plans but He also knows the plans he has for us, plans that are not futile but fertile in that they always bear fruit. God never calls us into a plan because He intends for that plan to fail. Rather, God’s plans always succeed and lead us toward prosperity so we might have hope and a future.  

So what is the process that connects us with the plans God has for us?

Look back to the words in the Book of Jeremiah for the answers:

First, we need to call on the Lord and seek His plan. We do this through prayer, the way we communicate with Him. We can’t just call on God half-heartedly. That just won’t work. Instead, we’re to seek Him with all our heart.

When we do this, praying to the Lord and calling on Him with all our heart in order to seek His plan, He will listen to us and instruct us in the way He wants us to go. He will guide us through from start to finish, leading us to prosper while revealing the fullest extent of His glory and majesty.

So what plans are you making today?

If you’re the one concocting it, then you’re wasting your time. Your plans will be futile.

However, if your plans are the Lord’s plans then continue to seek Him with all your heart and then be obedient to His instruction. He will never let you down. You can trust in that.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com