…the steps of a righteous man are ordered by God….sings Fred Hammond as I put the CD is my car stereo driving from one appointment to another. He’s just paraphrasing what David said in Psalm 37:23. Yet, as we go through life there are destructions, accidents, babies dying, people get sick, relationships break down, financial crisis – we begin to wonder: is God still with me, are my steps are really ordered from above?
Popular media today is saturated with appeals to take charge of your life. Clichés like “if you fail to plan you plan to fail” or “if you don’t think about the future you won’t have one” communicate that you must be in charge of your life. Suggesting that planning is the mental creation of the future we intend. So, let me ask you: How successful are your plans lately? Are things on the schedule and are going as planned?
The Sacred Scripture – the written Logos – the Word of God speaks on this issue too:
- The wise man looks ahead and knows the way. The fool attempts to fool himself and won't face facts. (Proverbs 14:8)
- Wise people think before they act; fools don't and even brag about it! (Proverbs 13:16)
- Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. (Proverbs 15:22)
Jesus Himself advised us to plan. Just reminisce on the parable about the fool who wanted to build, but would not count the cost, and then was not able to finish becoming a laughingstock (Luke 14: 28-31).
Should we have a plan for our lives? Shouldn’t God just take care of things and plan for us? After all God’s Providence seems to be overriding everything. Paul writes to Romans 8:28 that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Story of Joseph comes to mind. The boy knew he had a plan. For 17 years after his Big Dream he was going from one pit to another. Not the journey he planned for…Yet, he ended up with more than he could have wished for. And at the end of his life he simply says to his brothers: “you meant it for evil, God meant it for good. (Genesis 50:20) He was not flying “by the seat of his pants.” During those seven years of plenty he planned to store up for famished years. While in pits of life he planned and acted and brought blessing to those around him. One thing that is universal in Joseph’s plans – God’s presence.
God’s got a plan for you to prosper and succeed (Jeremiah 29:11). Things happen along the way we don’t understand. Job chose to trust God even when being under death threat (Job 13:15). Job never got his “WHY?” question answered. He planned one thing – to stay with God and never let go.
Plan one thing – to trust God’s providence in your life and never depart from His Presence. Statistics show that 80% of churches today are beehives of random motion and not of action that will achieve something. It’s not that they don’t have plans or lack strategic vision. There is a difference between OUR agenda and vision, and discovering GOD’S AGENDA and VISION, and then living in it. God’s simply says “My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
Whose agenda are you pushing? Whose plan do you have for your life? Plan to walk with God, and He will order your steps.
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