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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 2

So I just trust that this plan is best.

Often times when we find someone in a difficult situation we say, "Well, I know that this doesn't make sense but someday you will look back and see exactly what it all happened."

But is that true? It implies that one day we will finally see the reasons for God's work. But what if it never makes sense? Well, it doesn't matter if it ever makes sense. Our confidence is not in the hope that it will make sense but the hope that God always does what is right!

And that is the kind of faith we must have. It is faith in God!

This is the theme of verse 5, "Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished." Pride is the greatest enemy to trusting the sovereign plans of God. Pride causes me to think my way is best. It causes me to hold my plans tightly and not let them go. It causes me to trust my heart more than God's. It does not allow me to humble myself before God and accept by faith that his plan is always best. Nothing kills plans like pride.

STEP 5: Walk out the plans

After we have made our plans, examined the Word and our hearts, committed them to the Lord and trust the Lord, we walk forward in confidence. We just move forward.

What if the plan is not perfect? Well, "Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice" (v.8). You see, if what I want more than anything is to do what God wants me to do, then I can walk in complete confidence that God will accomplish what is best in my life. As someone once said, "If a man could get to the place in his life, where all he wanted was what God wanted, then all his life he would have all he wanted."

I must make my plans and hold them loosely.

Again, verse 9: "The mind of a man plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps."

When we entrust our aspirations, dreams and plans to him, He will establish us and our plans in line with His great plan.

So, what is our responsibility? Plan, commit, examine, trust, and walk. This is because we are not in control. God is. He is in control, and He commands us to plan. This is the other side of sovereignty, the responsibility begged by God's sovereignty. The Reality of sovereignty demands our Responsibility to plan. Then, there is the rest.

Embrace Rest

If God is sovereign, then I must rest in that reality. One thinks of the farmer whose entire livelihood demands that he produce great crops. But in reality he cannot produce the crops. All he can do is plant, cultivate and sow seed. So, he plants the seed and falls asleep. All the work that he needs to feed his family and secure his future is work he does not do. It is work God does. God works in the soil where he cannot see. God works in his sleep when he cannot work. This nocturnal provision is a gift from a God who does what the farmer cannot do (Mark 4:26-29).

Knowing this, he rests.

So, I encourage you to take these five responsibilities, write them down and begin to plan for 2011. Then rest.

Once I have planned for 2011 and have some modicum of peace that my life is aligned with God's trajectory, then I will rest. And by rest I mean that I will pour myself some eggnog, turn on Elvis Christmas, dance with my daughters, and fall asleep by the fire with my wife. After all, it is Christmas.

Page: 3 of 3

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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