THE LORD SPOKE (September 9)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Proverbs 20-22

Doesn’t James say it's wrong to plan ahead? Since you don’t even know what will happen tomorrow, you shouldn’t make big plans? No, look again at what James really says! The passage is found in James 4:13-17. Boasting or bragging about tomorrow is evil and it's wrong to make all those plans trusting in yourself for their accomplishment. “You are a mist”; here today, gone tomorrow. But notice carefully what follows. James doesn’t say, “therefore, don’t make any plans”. What he does say is that we should preface those plans with “if it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that”.

Proverbs has a lot to say about making plans and several key proverbs come up in today’s passage:

20:18 - “make plans by seeking advice”
20:24 - “a man’s steps are directed by the Lord”
20:25 - “it is a trap for a man to ________ and only later to consider”
21:5 - “the plans of the diligent lead to profit”
21:30 - “there is no...plan that can succeed against the Lord”

A plan pleases the Lord so long as it expresses our dependence upon Him. It's when we devise our own way that we get into trouble. He has given us minds to think logically and He expects us to make the best use we can of the time and resources that He has given us. All that spells “plan”. It not only is not wrong to plan ahead, it's wrong to not make plans. Stated in plain English - you should plan, but do it in dependence upon the Lord.

A good goal or plan should have at least two essential characteristics. First, it should be measurable. To say, “I want to be a better Dad” is not a good plan. It might be a good objective or desire, but it's not a good plan because you haven’t defined what being a good Dad will look like. Better would be to set a goal like, “I want to spend at least one hour per week with each of my children individually.” One way to test your goal, is to state it after something like, “Honey, come watch me spend one hour per week with each of my children individually” or whatever your goal is. If it is measurable, someone will be able to understand what you hope to do and then see you accomplish it in space and time. In the end, they will be able to say, “yes, he did it”.

Secondly, a good goal must be attainable. It should cause you to stretch or it's not worth much as a goal. That would be like shooting at a wall and then drawing a few rings around the hole so you can say you hit the target. If your goal doesn’t make you reach a little (or a lot) it isn’t worth much. On the other hand, if it's not humanly possible to attain the goal, you may get discouraged. Or you may tend to let yourself off the hook too easily. You need to establish goals that, with hard work, you are able to accomplish.

Now don’t forget the first part. Do this, in dependence upon the Lord. “Please Lord, if it's your will, I’d like to ______________.” If our heart is right with Him, we have His promise that He will give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 21:2).


New Testament: Revelation 15

This is not one of those 7-11 songs (seven words that get repeated eleven times over). This anthem of praise recites the mighty works of God in stanza after stanza of worshipful content.

“The Song of Moses” is recorded in two forms in Scripture. First, we find it in Exodus 15:1-18 on the original occasion of its composition. Four stanzas tell the story of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt in the Red Sea crossing. The fifth verse anticipates the conquest of Canaan according to God’s promise. This version of the song is recited in synagogues to this day.

The second occurrence of the Song of Moses is in Deuteronomy 32. Many stanzas have been added in the intervening forty years but the direction of the song remains the same - praise to God for His deliverance and His marvelous deeds. The refrain is becoming very familiar.

It’s therefore no stretch to imagine that Revelation 15 leaves unrecorded a major revision and much longer edition of this historic song. Now it is more than just the Song of Moses. It has become the Song of the Lamb. In reality, it always was the Song of the Lamb. When Moses (with Miriam’s help) penned the original lines, he didn’t write of himself. As the melody was developed and stanzas were added throughout history, it became increasingly clear that the music was coming from a Source much bigger. The control of the melody was not of this earth.

The Lamb was singing. This is the Song of the Lamb. This is the Song of the Lamb, and by the Lamb, and to the Lamb, and for the Lamb. Great and marvelous are His deeds. He’s been adding stanzas since the beginning of time. This song will be sung to the end of time and all we who love Him will join in this great anthem of praise.

The ballad is still being composed. Have you added your own lines? Do you quickly recognize the tune when it begins to play? Is it a refrain that repeats in your head throughout the day, never letting you forget? Or, have your ears grown dull and your eyes dim? Is your heart heavy? Do you still recognize the Song of the Lamb in the daily struggles of life. Does He give you victory?

Feel like singing again? Why not ask Him to put a song back in your heart? Sing the Song of the Lamb!