Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love
and faithfulness. ~Proverbs 14:22
Those who are far from You will perish. You destroy all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, it’s good to be near God. I have made the sovereign Lord my refuge. I will tell of all Your deeds. ~Psalm 73:27-28
We’re back to the theme of the road. Again, there is a choice. Stay on the straight and narrow and stay close to God, or (Squirrel!”) be distracted, stray, and move away from Him. However, in today’s proverb we aren’t dealing with distraction. In today’s proverb we are talking about two people who are planners.
One, who plans good, for good’s sake, is rewarded with love, faithfulness, and, surprise, there’s Jesus right ahead! The other person is a planner too, plotting evil. It wouldn’t be surprising if he is the one that actually puts up the signs to entice others off the path. After all, it’s not as fun to go it alone. They believe they can get away with it, believing that the adventure over new territory is going to be more enjoyable than just plodding along the straight and narrow. Unfortunately, when they look up, they may finally see, their loss, and they’re lost.
Sometimes it’s tempting to seek adventure. I love it, as I drive around the area to be directed by my GPS., whose name is Judy, by the way. It’s fun to go down a road I’ve never been on before. I get excited about seeing new things or discovering where something is that I’ve always wondered about.
I’m one of those people who would have enjoyed the old “Sunday drive,” tradition. Just get in the car, wander around kind of aimlessly and see what there is out there. However, my goal always is, to make it to my destination, or back home at night. With Judy, I follow her directions, mostly. Or on a Sunday drive, it would be a harmless wandering with a planned exit from meandering back to responsibility.
Conversely, one who plots evil is one who leaves God out of the plan on purpose. He does not want God’s responsibility. He wants, for his own selfish reasons, to avoid God’s wisdom. He determines to turn the GPS of his life off. He will call the shots and go where he wants to go. What he is missing, is remaining in communication with the One who has the bird’s eye view, the One who knows what is ahead and knows how best to navigate what is coming. He ends up in places he hadn’t expected for adventures that are beyond him. He is lost, and usually, not in a good way.
The Psalmist concludes: “But as for me, it’s good to be near God.” Staying close to Jesus is all the adventure he needs. That can be quite adventurous! Just think of Jesus’ disciples trying to navigate the stormy seas! Or Peter being invited to walk on water. One internet meme shows a terrified looking child clinging to the safety bar of a roller coaster. The caption reads, “Me, trusting God!” Nevertheless, the wise person has discerned that wandering from God is wandering toward death. God remains his refuge and safety as he stays close to Him, no matter how wild the ride. It’s good to be reminded again of the wisdom of staying close to the Lord.
It’s good to be reminded to check our plans with Him for His approval before we run ahead of Him and then end up with more adventure than we had planned. In planning good, and then checking with Him, we may find love and faithfulness in the face of Jesus as the ultimate blessing for staying close to Him.
Prayer: Father, thank You. Good Shepherd, thank you for protecting and spurring us on as we walk with You. Thank You also that even when we think we have wandered far away, You are very near us, and the moment we repent of our error and turn towards You, there You are! Thank You! In Jesus' name, amen.
Song: There Was Jesus
Those who are far from You will perish. You destroy all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, it’s good to be near God. I have made the sovereign Lord my refuge. I will tell of all Your deeds. ~Psalm 73:27-28
We’re back to the theme of the road. Again, there is a choice. Stay on the straight and narrow and stay close to God, or (Squirrel!”) be distracted, stray, and move away from Him. However, in today’s proverb we aren’t dealing with distraction. In today’s proverb we are talking about two people who are planners.
One, who plans good, for good’s sake, is rewarded with love, faithfulness, and, surprise, there’s Jesus right ahead! The other person is a planner too, plotting evil. It wouldn’t be surprising if he is the one that actually puts up the signs to entice others off the path. After all, it’s not as fun to go it alone. They believe they can get away with it, believing that the adventure over new territory is going to be more enjoyable than just plodding along the straight and narrow. Unfortunately, when they look up, they may finally see, their loss, and they’re lost.
Sometimes it’s tempting to seek adventure. I love it, as I drive around the area to be directed by my GPS., whose name is Judy, by the way. It’s fun to go down a road I’ve never been on before. I get excited about seeing new things or discovering where something is that I’ve always wondered about.
I’m one of those people who would have enjoyed the old “Sunday drive,” tradition. Just get in the car, wander around kind of aimlessly and see what there is out there. However, my goal always is, to make it to my destination, or back home at night. With Judy, I follow her directions, mostly. Or on a Sunday drive, it would be a harmless wandering with a planned exit from meandering back to responsibility.
Conversely, one who plots evil is one who leaves God out of the plan on purpose. He does not want God’s responsibility. He wants, for his own selfish reasons, to avoid God’s wisdom. He determines to turn the GPS of his life off. He will call the shots and go where he wants to go. What he is missing, is remaining in communication with the One who has the bird’s eye view, the One who knows what is ahead and knows how best to navigate what is coming. He ends up in places he hadn’t expected for adventures that are beyond him. He is lost, and usually, not in a good way.
The Psalmist concludes: “But as for me, it’s good to be near God.” Staying close to Jesus is all the adventure he needs. That can be quite adventurous! Just think of Jesus’ disciples trying to navigate the stormy seas! Or Peter being invited to walk on water. One internet meme shows a terrified looking child clinging to the safety bar of a roller coaster. The caption reads, “Me, trusting God!” Nevertheless, the wise person has discerned that wandering from God is wandering toward death. God remains his refuge and safety as he stays close to Him, no matter how wild the ride. It’s good to be reminded again of the wisdom of staying close to the Lord.
It’s good to be reminded to check our plans with Him for His approval before we run ahead of Him and then end up with more adventure than we had planned. In planning good, and then checking with Him, we may find love and faithfulness in the face of Jesus as the ultimate blessing for staying close to Him.
Prayer: Father, thank You. Good Shepherd, thank you for protecting and spurring us on as we walk with You. Thank You also that even when we think we have wandered far away, You are very near us, and the moment we repent of our error and turn towards You, there You are! Thank You! In Jesus' name, amen.
Song: There Was Jesus
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