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Evangelical

A Sober New Year: A Sermon on the Wisdom of God and Plans

December 29, 2010 by Steven Smith

Continued from Page 1

STEP 2: Examine the Motivation

After planning, we should take time to examine our hearts. This is modeled for us in verse 2: "All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the Lord weighs the motives." We are often blind to our own motivations and God is the one who evaluates all of our plans and agendas. So be warned. We have the potential to make decisions with wrong motives.

However, God has graciously given us a way to test our motives. Psalm 39 speaks clearly to God's knowledge of us and concludes with a prayer that God would search our hearts and reveal to us if there is any wicked or hurtful ambitions within us. Oh, and don't forget Psalm 115:105: "The Word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path." Nothing helps us navigate the way like the Word of God.

This type of examination is for small decision and big decisions.

Big decisions are more obvious. Lord, what is my motivation for taking this new job? What is my motivation in making this decision? What is my motivation in this relationship? We must examine our hearts before our plans become our ways, even in small decisions. Lord, what is motivating me to buy this thing I am about to buy? Is it need, want, lack of self-control, desire to please others, etc... Lord, what is my motivation behind going to this event?

STEP 3: Commit the Plans to God

Verse 3 contains a wonderful promise, "Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established." What does that mean? The word "commit" was used to describe rolling something such as rolling a stone from the mouth of a well. Since God is the one who is sovereign over our plans and alone can evaluate our true motivation, take your plans, give them to the Lord, and ask him to ultimately accomplish what He desires to accomplish.

The word "commit" denotes finality. Make your plans, check your motives, them give them over to God. Submit them to Him and His greater purpose. In other words, make your plans and hold them loosely.

We must make our plans with an ultimate and greater commitment to God and His purposes, because when our plans are in line with his plans, then God establishes them and uses us to work out his purposes.

There is an interesting connection between Proverbs 16:3 and 1 Peter 5:7, "...casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." The word "casting" is very similar to the word "commit." It can mean to throw something onto something else. It means to take what you are holding and carrying and give it away. What 1 Peter 5:7 says is to take all your cares, and cast them upon the Lord. Take the burdens off of your shoulders and put them on God. Why? Because doing so is an act of faith in God and belief that he cares for you.

And the same idea is here in Proverbs 6. You take your plans - you know, the ones you carefully made, then throw them back to the Lord and say, "Lord, I made every plan I felt you called me to make and did so in the wisdom you have provided. And now, in faith, I give them back to you and ask you to take my plans and establish the ones that are in line with what you want. In other words, we are submitting our plans to the greater plans of God.

With that submission in mind, let me tell you a liberating thought: If you are walking with the Lord and have as your ambition to please the Lord, then this text does not lead to fatalism—it leads to optimism. It leads to greater courage and greater confidence and even greater ambition, because it assures me that what I really want most will indeed happen. It assures me that God will in fact accomplish His purposes in me. It assures me that God will even interrupt my plans in order to accomplish his great purpose. Although that might seem tough, it is the greatest of all possible options.

STEP 4: Trust in God's greater plans

Look at verses 4-5: "The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured he will not go unpunished." It brings us back again to the ultimate sovereign rule of God.

Verse 4 is amazing: God makes everything answer to his divinely appointed purposes. No one acts outside of the sovereign rule of God. Everyone will answer to God and everything will work out according to the divine plan.

How does that affect my plans? Well, it gives me confidence in my plans. I can plan, submit my plans to the Lord, and then simply trust that God will do what is best for accomplishing His greatest plan.

Isn't this the truth of Romans 8:28? "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." I can live with a confident assurance that if God does interrupt my plans and change my plans, then he did it with a greater plan in mind. And I might never know that plan.

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12/29/2010 5:00:00 AM

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About Steven Smith

Steven W. Smith is a preacher and author who is attempting to die in the pulpit and call a generation to do the same. He is the Dean of the College, and Professor of Communication, at the College at Southwestern. Follow him on Twitter.

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