#DailyDevotion Have You Told The Lord Your Plans? Did He Laugh?

June 16

Prov 16:1–24

Pro 16:1-4  The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.  (2)  All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.  (3)  Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.  (4)  The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.

Pro 16:9  The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.

 

We have a proverb ourselves. Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans. In many of the passages from this chapter of proverbs deal with man’s plans and God’s providence. Indeed we may make all sorts of plans. We devise numerous ways of dealing with life today and what we think about doing tomorrow. But where is the Lord in all our planning? Verse two is particularly poignant because we think all of our ways are pure. Well they are in our eyes. Rarely do we do and plan what we think is wrong. We think even our most wicked plans are justified, good and right. But the Lord weighs our spirit and knows our hearts, our intentions. What will he find when he looks into our plans?

 

Before making plans and before putting them into action, we should commit our work to the Lord. Begin your plans with meditation upon God’s Word. What does it say about what you plan to do? Ask the Lord for guidance in whatever your task it. Nothing is too big, small or in between. You are not bothering him when you come to him in faith and trust. When your work is committed to the Lord in all its ways, he promises your plans will be established.

 

Everything in God’s creation has a purpose. He has a plan for everything. The Lord even uses the wicked to bring days of trouble for other wicked and for his purposes. Indeed, he used the wicked to accomplish our salvation. The Jews who rejected Jesus and the

Roman soldiers who crucified him were part of God’s plan in redeeming you from death and to make atonement for your sins and for theirs.

 

We should keep in mind these two other verses not included in the reading: Pro 16:25 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Pro 16:33 “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.” The first is related to Jesus’ teaching that out of the heart comes every evil and broad is the way to destruction. It seems right to us to do things but we can be deceived so we should compare it to what God’s Word says otherwise it may bring eternal death. The second is that since every decision is from the Lord we should humble ourselves under his hand that we be used for good. For every decision from the Lord is for the benefit of those who trust in him even if it doesn’t seem so at the moment. All things work for good for those who love God who have been called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8) May his will be for your good in Christ.

 

Heavenly Father, grant that by your grace we commit our ways to you and your Word that everything we plan and do may have your blessing. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.