This week I finalised some plans for the next few months.
Topics for sermons, a rota for who’s playing the organ/piano, another for those I’ve invited to take services in the congregations I’m looking after, even a few dates in the diary for rest and recreation. It feels good to be organised!
Of course experience tells us circumstances can change at short notice and we have to be flexible. The best laid plans need ‘tweaked’ at times.
Agendas for church meetings used to carry the postscript, ‘All plans are subject to the will of God’, a reverent acknowledgement of higher powers than ours involved in all that happens. Many people when speaking or writing still use the letters ‘DV’ standing for ‘Deo volente’ which is Latin for ‘God-willing’.
The book of Proverbs, much of which is attributed to the famously wise Old Testament King Solomon, contains these thoughts:
‘In his heart a man plans his course but the Lord determines his steps…
The lot is cast…but its every decision is from the Lord…
Many are the plans in a man’s heart but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.’
Jesus’ famous pattern prayer teaches us to not just believe in God’s ultimate sovereignty but to actively seek His will in our lives, ‘on earth as in heaven’. Christians find comfort in our belief that above the extreme weather, the wildfires and floods, changing governments and earthly uncertainty reigns ‘our Father in heaven’ and He looks after those who seek to please Him.
So, far from being dark superstition, the Bible develops this theme with quite practical wisdom. The New Testament letter from the Apostle James echoes Peter and the Old Testament with the reminder, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ We should be cautious of being over confident in ourselves and our grand ideas!
James writes, ‘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!...Instead you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will we will live and do this or that.’
It’s not a sin to be practical or organised, but it is when we act as if we are in control of our own destiny. We are only wise to submit to our Maker and ‘seek first’ the things that honour Him - and He may indeed bless our little plans!
So I’ll pray, keep my arrangements flexible and look forward to seeing you on Sunday – God willing!
Topics for sermons, a rota for who’s playing the organ/piano, another for those I’ve invited to take services in the congregations I’m looking after, even a few dates in the diary for rest and recreation. It feels good to be organised!
Of course experience tells us circumstances can change at short notice and we have to be flexible. The best laid plans need ‘tweaked’ at times.
Agendas for church meetings used to carry the postscript, ‘All plans are subject to the will of God’, a reverent acknowledgement of higher powers than ours involved in all that happens. Many people when speaking or writing still use the letters ‘DV’ standing for ‘Deo volente’ which is Latin for ‘God-willing’.
The book of Proverbs, much of which is attributed to the famously wise Old Testament King Solomon, contains these thoughts:
‘In his heart a man plans his course but the Lord determines his steps…
The lot is cast…but its every decision is from the Lord…
Many are the plans in a man’s heart but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.’
Jesus’ famous pattern prayer teaches us to not just believe in God’s ultimate sovereignty but to actively seek His will in our lives, ‘on earth as in heaven’. Christians find comfort in our belief that above the extreme weather, the wildfires and floods, changing governments and earthly uncertainty reigns ‘our Father in heaven’ and He looks after those who seek to please Him.
So, far from being dark superstition, the Bible develops this theme with quite practical wisdom. The New Testament letter from the Apostle James echoes Peter and the Old Testament with the reminder, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ We should be cautious of being over confident in ourselves and our grand ideas!
James writes, ‘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!...Instead you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will we will live and do this or that.’
It’s not a sin to be practical or organised, but it is when we act as if we are in control of our own destiny. We are only wise to submit to our Maker and ‘seek first’ the things that honour Him - and He may indeed bless our little plans!
So I’ll pray, keep my arrangements flexible and look forward to seeing you on Sunday – God willing!
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