Day 6: Ambitions, hopes, and plans
Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:15).
Eternal God, Ancient of Days, You are before all things (Colossians 1:17). You are the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent (Isaiah 28:29)—declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose’ (Isaiah 46:10 - ESV).
Our lives, O Lord, are part of Your purpose. You did not create us and abandon us to wander through life in blindness and confusion. The apostle Paul wrote, "for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose (Philippians 2:13).
But You have given us the choice to invite You into our lives, into our decisions, and into our direction. The words You spoke to Your ancient people are as true for us today:
"Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3).
“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go" (Isaiah 48:17).
"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" (Jeremiah 29:11).
Father, in these treacherous and uncertain times, we are more and more aware that events, circumstances, or life itself, are not ours to control. Your word reminds us, Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails (Proverbs 19:21).
It isn't that You do not want us to plan—Scripture teaches us much about prudence (Proverbs 13:16), diligence (Proverbs 21:5), and wisdom (Luke 14:28). But You do not want us to plan in the arrogance of our own schemes, as the apostle James warns us:
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:13-15).
Lord, on our own we do not have the wisdom, the knowledge, the understanding and the foresight to navigate through a life and a future full of "dangers, toils, and snares." So many times we have discovered that what we thought was up was really down, what we thought was round was really square, and what we thought was solid was flimsy and hollow. But we call upon the promise from Your word, Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans (Proverbs 16:3).
We lay down before you our ambitions, hopes, and plans. We lay down our gifts, talents, vocations, callings. We give to you every success, every failure, every setback, every lesson, every challenge, every obstacle—trusting You with all our heart. Surrendering our own understanding.
Direct us, Lord, in the way we should go.
Comments