Day 351 - Why All The Planning?

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries                         LMCM

Nacogdoches, Texas                                                           Gal. 2:20  KJV

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 32

         

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       almi@abidinglife.com

Confusion and frustration…confusion and frustration…confusion and frustration.  So much worry and fear…all about “the will of God for my life” or “God’s plan for my life.”  Aaahhhh, how relaxing to hear Michael tell of the time he was in Nepal with his son, and “the plan!”  I suppose I have laughed and laughed, told this story almost as many times as I have any other I ever heard Michael share…ENJOY!

Day 351

Why All The Planning?

Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. --Psalm 37:5

My son was traveling with me when he asked, “What is the plan? This is your first time in Nepal to minister, and so how will you go about it?” I said that we would begin each day by holding hands and praying, “Jesus, like a shepherd, lead us!” At the end of the prayer we would take off and see where Jesus did, in fact, guide us. I promised him that every night he would lie on the bed and think, “This was the most amazing day!” It was just as I said. Every morning we would pray and afterward meet someone that knew someone who would take us to someone. It was amazing. Once in an airport in northeast India we were lost and did not know what to do next. My son struck up a conversation with a fellow who soon was traveling with us to our next destination, got us a room, took care of every detail, and has been e-mailing us since. At the end of the day, we again said, “This was a most amazing day!” I am not saying that we should not plan, but we all plan too much. We waste time planning when we could spend time in fellowship with Jesus. We have a history with Jesus, and certainly our lives have not been carried out to the place they are today because of our tiresome and overbearing designs; our lives have unfolded. Jesus really has been leading us all along. In fact, the majority of our plans have not come to pass at all. I really believe that we can stop planning so much. Once when Betty met me after I had been ministering out of the country for several weeks, I told her I did not have a plan for the holiday. We would just get up, get on the train, get off where it looked interesting, and let Him lead us. At the end of the day we would sit and talk about the perfect museum, hotel room, restaurant, and trip. See how He leads? He leads believers all along. We are commanded over and over again not to worry. The time we spend worrying is better spent listening to and talking to Him. There are two cities that I know of in the world that are described in a particular way, and both are in the southern hemisphere: Canberra, Australia, and Brasilia, Brazil. Each one is called by many of its own inhabitants “the city without a soul.” Neither was naturally founded and allowed to grow; both from the ground up were planned perfectly by officials to be the seats of government. A perfect plan lacks soul! It is dead and without character because it is controlled in conception and execution. When we plan things perfectly, we remove spontaneity and the unexpected; we take out our reliance on God and the anticipation we feel when we know He is moving. Remember, too, that when we know exactly what the future holds, congratulations! We are now unbelievers without the need to walk by faith.

There are six words smack dab in the middle of this discourse that I think most Christians seem to ignore, and ignore, and ignore, and ignore:  “We have a history with Jesus.”  WE DO.  And why would we “ignore” this history with our beloved Shepherd when it comes to “making plans”?  Amazing!  He is our Great Shepherd, and His leading is written all over the pages of our lives!  Well, amen!

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS.”  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

What more do we need than to know Who our Lord is, What He has done for us in all our years, and How He has guided, protected, and provided for us all along the way.  ALL THAT ought to command our “committing our ways unto our Lord, trusting Him, and knowing He WILL direct our paths.”

I can hear Michael’s voice…

     ”Yes, son, we have a plan.”

     “But, what is the plan, Dad?” 

     “Don’t worry, son.  God has a plan.”

     “I know there’s a plan, Dad, but I want to know the particulars.” 

     “Just wait until the morning, and I will give the particulars.” 

     “But, Dad, I need to think about what all we will be doing.” 

     “Go to sleep, son, you’ll know the plan in the morning.” 

Can’t you just see Michael and his son standing outside the hotel in the morning, on the street corner…”Dad, what’s the plan?!?!?”  “Bow your head, son…”  Well, amen!

Come, Jesus, like a shepherd, lead us.

  

YELLOW – VIP, Very Important Point              GREEN – IT, Incredible Truth         

RED – GP, Greatest Promises

TURQUOISE – UR, Unfathomable Riches           PINK – PV, Priceless Victory

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

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