Oh the plans that we make!--Plans for graduation, plans for weddings, plans for business, plans for vacations, and even plans to nap. In themselves these are not sinful things, but I wonder how many times we plan for all our worldly agendas, and never think in terms of God's agenda. That takes planning, too. We can't just go about our business and wait for God to put us where He wants us. We should put as much time and effort and prayer into plotting our course with Him as we do plotting our course with our family or our work.

Of course, we know, because God has told us in His Word, that He has a plan for us. "'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'"(Jer. 29:11); "For we are God's workmanship, created in  Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Eph. 2:10); "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails" (Pro. 19:21). I often quote my former pastor Billy Newell who says, "There are two ways to do things, there's God's way and there's God's way; the only difference is the second one takes longer." I was called into Christian Education when I was sixteen years old. I heard the call of God as clearly as if it had been an audible voice. My education began in the right direction--at West Liberty State College in West Virginia, I majored in English and minored in Religion for two years. Then I transferred to LaGrange College in Georgia and majored for a while in Christian Education. Then with graduation nearly in my sights, I decided I was already as mature and intelligent as I could get and dropped out. After all, God could still use me, right? It didn't take me long to get way off course and to really lose my focus on what God had called me to do.  Eighteen years of minimum wage jobs later, I went back to school and finished my degree and my master's degree, and God placed me in--guess what--Christian Education!  I chose the long way to God's plan, and it hurts every time I consider the lives that God had planned for me to touch and the work that He planned for me to do that I missed.  That was sin, not because I was always doing wrong, but because I stepped out of His plan for my life pridefully thinking my way was an option. "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed" (Prov. 16:3). Thank God for Grace! I can now honestly say with the Psalmist, "Lord, You have assigned me my portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance" (16:5-6).

We are told to "delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart"--not a new car, not a great marriage or perfect children, not a huge house or a cushy job--those are the desires of a carnal nature; but when we delight in Him, He will place within our hearts the desires to be and do what He has ordained for us--He will place within us the desires our hearts should nurture for His Kingdom's sake! "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun" (Psalm 37:3-6). As He places the desire to do good things--God things--in our hearts, and as we carry out His plan for our lives, He will advance us in His service.  To ignore those desires is sin.

God has promised that when we commit our way to Him, He will direct our path. "Set your minds on things above, and not on earthly things" (Col.3:2); And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (Col. 3:17); "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism" (Col.3:23-25); "And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophesies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid the evil. May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it" (I Thess. 5:14-24). There is plenty of "right" to do!

Thank You Lord for the work You have placed in our minds and our hearts to do. Help us to be bold in pursuing that work, and busy in doing it with all our might. Keep us from the sin of omission. And help us to delight in Your design for us. Amen