PLANNING AHEAD
Today’s Proverbs couplet is Proverbs 21:30-31. Its deals with planning ahead. These verses are not saying that planning is a bad thing or unnecessary. Instead, they address how we go about planning.
Verse 30 is saying that God is so far wiser and greater than people that no one can out think or outwit Him. This obviously means His enemies cannot frustrate His ultimate Will. That is a comforting thought. But it also means that we believers cannot manipulate God or cause Him to do some course of action for us due to our cleverness or the thoroughness of our plans. There is no plan that would equip us to be able to bargain or negotiate successfully with God. We should approach God humbly asking for wisdom and direction in making plans. Any of our plans that leave God or His principles out will not truly be successful.
Verse 31 “The horse is prepared…” means we should be planning and preparing. But the verse reminds us that our plans and preparations, even for good outcomes and with good motives from our perspective, are ultimately in God’s Hands. God is in control. He is our source of victory. “Every good thing and every perfect gift is from above, coming from the Father….” James 1:17. James goes on to repeat this thought (in James 4:13-15) that the outcomes of our plans are subject to God’s Will. My takeaway from these verses is to not be presumptuous but to seek God’s wisdom and direction in making plans.
Verse 30 is saying that God is so far wiser and greater than people that no one can out think or outwit Him. This obviously means His enemies cannot frustrate His ultimate Will. That is a comforting thought. But it also means that we believers cannot manipulate God or cause Him to do some course of action for us due to our cleverness or the thoroughness of our plans. There is no plan that would equip us to be able to bargain or negotiate successfully with God. We should approach God humbly asking for wisdom and direction in making plans. Any of our plans that leave God or His principles out will not truly be successful.
Verse 31 “The horse is prepared…” means we should be planning and preparing. But the verse reminds us that our plans and preparations, even for good outcomes and with good motives from our perspective, are ultimately in God’s Hands. God is in control. He is our source of victory. “Every good thing and every perfect gift is from above, coming from the Father….” James 1:17. James goes on to repeat this thought (in James 4:13-15) that the outcomes of our plans are subject to God’s Will. My takeaway from these verses is to not be presumptuous but to seek God’s wisdom and direction in making plans.
by Rick Hays, Deacon
Posted in Read Through the Bible
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