Lasting Works and Plans . . . Proverbs 16:3

Commit your works to the LORD And your plans will be established.  Proverbs 16:3

Plans . . . we all have them.  Some people have detailed plans on just about everything, while others have sketchy plans at best.  Where do planning and plans fit in the Christian life?  How wise is it to plan and, how do you go about doing it?  I doubt if every aspect of planning will be addressed by this proverb, but it is a good place to start.

The actual Hebrew word that starts this proverb is "roll."  When we commit our works to the Lord, what we are doing is rolling them onto Him.  When I hear this word I see a picture of a man trying to roll this huge, heavy object.  He is straining himself trying to get this thing rolling and keep it rolling.  It is difficult work - and if he ever gets to a hill where he will have to roll it up that hill, he'll never be able to do it.  That is us in our lives.  We are living from day to day with things that we need to do.  God calls us to walk through this life accomplishing these things - yet also calling us to get them done in a way which honors and glorifies Him.  I don't know about anyone else, but for me this load is heavy.  In fact, it is too heavy for me to bear and to carry.  This is why I need to roll this burden and heavy load onto the Lord. 

What is involved in "rolling your works onto the Lord?"  First we ask the Lord what kind of works we should be doing.  This is accomplished by spending time in His Word and learning His heart each day we live.  We learn what He wants us to be doing - and we go about doing those things to His glory.  Second, we turn to Him for the strength to accomplish these works.  It is a simple fact that the Christian life cannot be lived in our own strength.  It is the life of Christ within us that enables us to live out God's purposes and plans.  Third, we commit ourselves to this path and have no plan B.  Here is a problem that often crops up in Christians.  We are committed to God's plan - until it gets too difficult.  When difficulties mount up and become too much for us - then we start looking for a different way - or want to modify God's way. 

The promise from God is that when we do this, our plans will be established.  The plans of our heart need to be established by God.  We can seek to establish them here on earth - but then the only promise we have is that they will last until our lives are over - or maybe a generation beyond.  They will not last throughout eternity.  If our plans are not established and made firm and fixed by God - we will carry nothing into eternity.  We will lose it all. 

Living for our own plans and purposes is a dead-end lifestyle.  Such a lifestyle of planning only plans for now - but does nothing for eternity.  This counsel from Proverbs helps us make plans that will last - plans that God will approve - and plans that God will establish not only for now - or next week or year - but for all eternity.