Us or HIm

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

US OR HIM

Prov 19:21

21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

NIV

This is somewhat of a repeat of a previous saying of Solomon when he said that we can make our plans, but it is the Lord who orders our steps. The idea is the same, yet there is somewhat of a slight difference. However, we should consider how we spend time making our plans for life. It seems we are always thinking about what we want to do. When we were young we had dreams of being someone of importance, or doing something important. As life progressed, we changed our mind time and time again because we had some plan in mind, a plan that was always being revised due to circumstances. But always in the back of our mind we have dreams and desires that we try to accomplish in some way. It seems we are always directing our thoughts toward our own plans, goals, desires or wants. But what we are being told here is that no matter what we plan, it is the Lord who makes sure his purpose for our life prevails. We think we are in charge of our own lives, but we are not. We think we have the freedom to come and go as we please, but we are being directed by the Lord for his purpose, not ours. There are those voices, false voices that preach God is there for us, but in reality we are here for him. They preach we should expect blessings from God, but in reality we should be blessing him. They preach we should ask him for anything, new cars, new homes, lots of money, happiness, fun and games, and he will give anything we ask for. But in reality it is us who should be asking God what he wants us to do for him. They seem to forget that we need to ask according to his will. What is his will for our lives? What is his purpose for our lives? Once we find that out then we can ask for anything in order to accomplish his will, his purpose for our lives. This is the difference between us making our plans, and doing his purpose. Our heart is not bent toward his plans, but toward ours. Yet if we are born again, then that should imply we have a new heart, a clean heart. This is what David prayed.

Ps 51:10

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

NIV

When we become born again, should we not have had our heart replaced with a new one, a clean one, just a chalk board is erased and washed clean of all the previous words so a new set of words can be written, so it is with our heart. God erases all the old words of our lives, the sin, the self-centered desires, and writes new words on our heart, his words, his plans, and his purpose for our lives. The words of the Lord spoken to Israel through the prophet Ezekiel still speak to us today regarding this words of Solomon.

Ezek 36:22-32

22 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. 23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes. 24 "'For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. 29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. 30 I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. 32 I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign LORD. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, O house of Israel!

NIV

We are not supposed to live for ourselves, but for him, for his glory, for his names sake. Let us remember this, when we start up making plans again, and again. Let us remember who it is we serve, us or him.