Word Live: The Best-Laid Plans
Think back over the past year. What joys and sorrows has it held? How have you seen God’s hand at work in and through both?
Bible passage
Psalm 127
A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labour in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat –
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
3 Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents in court.
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Explore
The words of Psalm 127:1 are inscribed in the tiled floor of the Palace of Westminster’s magnificent central lobby: ‘Unless the Lord builds …’ They are there to remind the UK’s parliamentarians that all their planning and work is futile if it is not done in the name and power of God. Earthly empires come and go, but only God’s is eternal.
As we approach the end of the year it is a time to reflect on what is past and prepare for what is to come. All our New Year’s resolutions will be worthless, though, if we are simply trying to meet our own goals in our own strength. We can prepare wisely and work willingly, but unless we are working in line with the will of God, we will achieve nothing of value.
The flip side of this is that it is also futile to worry and be anxious about our success or failure (v 2). Worry is an attempt to take our problems out of our loving Father’s powerful hands into our own, much weaker ones.
Author
Jennie Pollock
Respond
Submit the coming year into God’s hands. Tell him you trust him with it. Ask him to lead and guide you and to give you the faith and grace to allow him to build it according to his perfect will.
Deeper Bible study
‘… seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.’1
I expect all of us have things happening in the year to come; maybe a move or home renovations, maybe a family wedding or big anniversary, maybe new schools or jobs or retirement to face. We all plan for these things in different ways. Some of us start by making lists and work out exactly what will happen at each stage, what we need to throw out or buy or make. Some of us are totally prepared many weeks before the event; others of us leave it to the last minute and rush round, knowing it will all get done in the end!
This psalm is one of many Bible passages that talk about planning and preparation. Another passage is where Jesus warns us that when we are about to start a building project we should check first that we have enough money to pay for it!2 In today’s reading we are reminded of an essential starting point. Whether we are meticulous planners or plunge-straight-in people, we must recognise that anything that does not start off by acknowledging and allowing God’s involvement is ‘in vain’ (v 1), a waste of time. The house may get built, the book you are writing may get finished, the move might happen – but in the light of eternity, nothing of any real value has been done or achieved. We can put our whole heart into it, staying up all night if necessary – but this too is a waste of time, unless our whole hearts are focused on seeking his kingdom. Modern culture encourages us to see our faith as a kind of hobby, an optional extra that sits on the side of real life. We sometimes fall into the trap of seeing it that way too. How wrong can we be!
Lord, forgive me for the times I have viewed my relationship with you as a sideline. Help me in every project and plan to seek first your kingdom.
Author
Mary Evans
