It is the Lord’s purpose that prevails
Proverbs 19:21 - Our plans may fail; God’s plans are always for our ultimate good.
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Proverbs 19:21 NIV
Writing my God-selected random devotionals means that I don’t have the opportunity that Barb does to become totally immersed in a Book of the Bible, but it does give me the joy of being surprised by what He chooses for me to study and interpret for our readers. This is the second devotional in a row where He has nudged me to look at a Proverb, and has selected for me a Proverb verse with two number “1”s, a “9” and a “2” (this is 19:21, the last was 29:11). Does that “mean” anything? No, but it’s either a fun coincidence or “the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Enduring Word provides the following commentary on this proverb:
There are many plans in a man’s heart: It is in the nature of men (and women) to plan and prepare for the future. Some of the plans may be wise and some may be foolish, but there are many plans in a man’s heart.
b. Nevertheless, the Lord’s counsel — that will stand: Man makes his plans, and he should. Yet every plan should be made with an appreciation of God’s overall wisdom, work, and will.
i. James would later explain this principle this way: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”(James 4:13-15)
ii. “This is a perfectly self evident assertion, but, as such, important as to warrant a pause in reading it. The one thing in the heart that may be depended upon is the counsel or guidance of Jehovah.” (Morgan)
Pondering this verse and commentary, I was reminded of the year 2020. Just five years ago, Barb and I had extensive travel plans. Those plans included a combination European river cruise and visit to Oberammergau, Germany for the Passion Play, a cruise in Asia, an American river cruise on the Great Lakes and down the Erie Canal, and more… Well, COVID caused many of those trips — and several others for future years — to be canceled.
What did we do with all of the time and money that we suddenly had available? God filled the gaps in our plans! We joined an intercessory prayer team at our church (something we still do for a different church) and we were able to support that church’s need for a permanent home through increased giving. It occurred to us that even in the midst of a pandemic, we could still travel in the USA, so we made our first plans to acquire an RV.
That was one of the factors that led us to begin writing this daily devotional in early 2022. The original idea for Heaven On Wheels was to use paid subscriptions to support donations to charitable organizations in the communities we visited on our camping trips. Our goal now is to reach as many people as possible with God’s Word every day, for free. All along this journey that is now in its fourth year, we have trusted God to make the course corrections, and He has continually pointed us in the right direction.
The main lessons to be learned from this Proverb are:
As humans, we are free to make plans, but we need to recognize that God’s purpose takes precedence over those plans. We should always humbly trust in God’s wisdom.
It is very important to align our plans with God’s will. We can better discern His purpose for us by studying scripture and asking for God’s direction in the decisions we make.
Our plans may fail; God’s plans are always for our ultimate good. Trusting in that simple truth brings happiness and peace regardless of the circumstances.
The Book of Proverbs demonstrates the value of wisdom, including asking God to help us in the decisions we make. We need to consider God’s purpose for us and openly seek His direction when making plans.
I’ll finish today’s devotional with a wonderful quote by pastor and evangelist Greg Laurie: “God’s plans for you are better than any plans you have for yourself. So don’t be afraid of God’s will, even if it’s different from yours.”
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Father in Heaven, I surrender my plans to You, knowing that Your purpose will always prevail. Guide my steps and align my heart with Your will. Help me trust in Your perfect plan, even when my own desires seem strong. May I walk in faith, knowing that Your wisdom always leads me to what is best. AMEN.