Articles
“Faithful Planning”
“Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord,
“who carry out a plan, but not mine,
and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit,
that they may add sin to sin;
who set out to go down to Egypt,
without asking for my direction,
to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh
and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!”
Isaiah 30:1-2
We all make plans to achieve our goals. We all have plans that fill our calendars. But a question worth asking is, “Do my plans harmonize with God’s plans?” God challenged ancient Israel with this question. They had made their plans, they were weaving their web, but all without ever consulting God. Their vision of the future was out of step with God’s Spirit. They were ready to move before asking God for directions.
In their case, they were headed south to Egypt (of all places) to make a military alliance to shield them from violence in the north. They sought “refuge” and “shelter,” not under the protective wings of the Lord, but from Pharaoh. In resting their hope in a brittle human empire, in making flesh their strength (Jer. 17:5), Israel had spurned the God of their salvation in the process.
So the Lord calls them “stubborn children.” I wonder if sometimes the Lord doesn’t say the same of us. We make plans. Do they harmonize with the Lord’s? (Prov. 16:1, 3, 9; 19:21) We enter into partnerships. Do those alliances agree with God’s Spirit? (2 Cor. 6:14-18) We usually make plans and strike deals with others to secure our future, to give us some sense of peace, to find refuge. Upon what basis are we seeking protection? “Some trust in chariots and some in horses” (Psa. 20:7), others in politicians, business moguls, retirement plans, spiritual gurus or nuclear armaments.
When our plans are not rooted in the Lord’s will, we soon “go astray in spirit” and sin is so easily added to sin. We’ve all been there. What should we do then? In the preceding verses, Isaiah 29:23-24, God prophesied that Israel would eventually turn back to him.
“Jacob shall no more be ashamed,
no more shall his face grow pale.
For when he sees his children,
the work of my hands, in his midst,
they will sanctify my name;
they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob
and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.
And those who go astray in spirit will come to understanding,
and those who murmur will accept instruction.”
When we’ve gone astray in spirit, we must come back to square one: God is God. Therefore we must stand in awe of him, sanctify his name, seek to understand his will and accept his instruction. When our plans lead us into darkness we must reorient ourselves according to the light of God’s purpose.
It’s not that we shouldn’t make plans or enter partnerships to achieve goals but that we must do so according to God’s plans and God’s goals, “if the Lord wills” (Jas. 4:15). God reveals his plans for our individual lives, our marriages, our carriers, our relationships, our families, our congregations and our futures in his word. We exclude him to our own peril. If we build on any other foundation, our plans won’t stand (Mt. 7:24-27). Ask for his direction, seek shelter in his shadow, take refuge in his protection: “Blessed are all who take refuge in him!” (Psa. 34:8)
So make your plans but remember it’s God’s plans before ours, God’s name above ours and God’s will not ours.
(This article is derived from Jason Hardin's article "You Who Carry Out a Plan But Not Mine")
