"If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!."
This famous quote by Benjamin Franklin (and many others) has been echoed throughout the centuries as people seek to order and structure their lives to maximise the 24 hours we have in a day.
Planning is one of those essential steps that we often take as meaning it is only about us and our day, as we plan to complete work, to do chores, to spend time with friends or family.
What happens when our plans fail? What happens when we encounter obstacles contrary to our plans? We often make human attempts to remedy the situation, but we don't realise that God is always ready and willing to guide us.
Although we never usually think of this, all our plans are on the assumption that tomorrow will come and that there is certainty that the world will be the same as yesterday.
In a world where we find ourselves in a daily grind, we lose sight of the fact that every day is dependent on forces outside of our control.
If the Sun stopped shining, or if the Moon ceased to exist, our world would be thrown into chaos. If a power station in your suburb malfunctions, then you won't have electricity.
The interconnectivity that exists in the life support structures in our world are visible and invisible that we assume they always work regardless of season.
In James chapter 4 verses 13-17 it says:
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.
What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
James the Apostle has a timely reminder for us in the busyness of everyday life, that we are to remember our place before the Lord.
Considering God
We plan so much that we often forget to consider what God would want us to do. We subconsciously exhibit the fact that we think we have full control of our lives.
However, our plans should not be centred upon ourselves alone, but should be built around God, who is sustains all life. He is the source of our living but also of our dying as each day we grow older.
Sober mindedness in living will lead us to wiser living but also towards understanding and growing in the knowledge of God.
By His Will, we shall make our plans, and He won't lead us astray.
What is His will? His will for us to grow in salvation and in the knowledge of our Lord each day.
Jack Liang - Jack is studying Commerce and Arts at Macquarie University, he is part of a family of five, his hobbies include computer gaming, football, learning languages, and church history. He attends Gracepoint Presbyterian in Burwood.
Jack Liang's previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/jack-liang.html