“The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.” (Isaiah 33:11 NIV)
I have a Franklin Covey planner. It sits splayed open on my desk most days: one side of the page contains a neat column of tasks and appointments and the other scribbles from phone calls or podcasts. I’m not really incredibly organized, but I find a planner sets my feet in the right direction each morning and helps me stay the course through the end of the day.
Today I was reading Isaiah when I began to consider God’s plans versus my own. It’s pretty humbling. See, my purposes are pretty vapid when compared to the Lord’s. His plans are immense, inclusive and eternal. Mine are petty, private and short-lived. His plans are stone and concrete while mine are mere paper and paste.
Lately I feel like I’m in a constant battle to think bigger and to see further. What exactly do I mean by that?
Thinking bigger means lifting my eyes from my own feet and considering how my thoughts and words and actions might affect the larger world around me. What can I do today to cooperate with building the Kingdom where I live and work?
Seeing further means considering the generations long after me. I feel like, societally, we talk about this in terms of resources and environment, but our spiritual condition is of far greater concern. What are we doing today to sow spiritually into future generations? Conversations and discipleship are great, but prayer is the real capital we sock away for the generations to come.
God thinks bigger and further than we do. We wrestle to gain and maintain His perfect perspective.
“I make know the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.” (Isaiah 46:10-11 NIV)
The biggest difference between God’s plans and our plans is the fact that His plans are good. There is no flaw in His thinking. His will is perfect.
In high contrast: the plans of Anna (or insert your own name) are flawed. I miss things. I forget factors. I cannot compute for all the potential variables and outcomes. I can simply do the best with the limited and often out-dated information I have. God, however, knows it all and has all in hand. He can compute all the potential variables and outcomes. He has factored it all: human free-will and sin and the length of time itself and He has a plan for perfect resolution. My mission, our mission is to get on board with His plan, to cooperate gladly: confident that He who began a good thing will see it to completion. We trust that His clearance is far higher than ours. We ready our heart to respond to Him affirmatively at any and every request.
Lord, You are good and Your plans are good. Please give us the courage to lift our eyes off our own path and see the big picture. May we consider the generations yet to come. Let us live our one small life for Your glory, walking in divine perspective and Kingdom purpose. Readjust our sight and convictions as often as needed. Accomplish Your perfect will through our ordinary story. Amen.