Everyday, every season, every year blesses us with new opportunities, new challenges, new ideas, new desires. The writer of the epistle of James in 4:13-16
Wrote: “‘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 vapour 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.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
God is interested in our plans; but do we actually involve Him as we draw our daily, weekly or yearly plans? Life will certainly throw several things at us, but what we do with our experiences counts. The year has begun with great speed; and will certainly throw divers opportunities at us, but whatever life throws at us; the decision we make will determine our result.
Searching through the holy writ, I discovered that the scripture is rich with several lessons to learn on making plans and drawing budgets.
Jesus in Luke 14: 28-30 said: “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘this man began to build and was not able to finish.”
The two words in this discuss are: ‘planting’ and ‘plan.’ To Plant is an agricultural terminology; a process best understood by farmers. It is the act of putting something (a seed) into the ground so that it will grow. A seed not planted is not expected to grow; what a man does not grow has no harvest. We plant to regenerate; it is only what we regenerate that can yield generational impact. It is also an act of propagation; expound, and enlarge.
Planting helps the farmer in several ways:
• It is only what you planted that you harvest; no plant, no harvest.
• It helps the seed to grow; what you fail to plant; you don’t expect to grow.
• It helps the seed spacing, avoiding clustering of the seeds.
• It enables transiting the seed from one season and generation to another; seeds not planted easily goes into extinction.
• Seeds when planted makes it difficult for weeds to grow in the same spot; a planted seed competes with weeds and draws a distinction.
The beauty of planting is in the season. Planting could also mean to put an idea or suggestion into someone’s mind. In Gen. 2:8, God planted a garden eastward in Eden. It is also figuratively used of planting people – Yet, I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality – Jer. 2:21
To plan means an idea of how to do something, a method of achieving something, thought out in advance. It is the intention or decision to do something or go somewhere. To plan by definition is an idea, a method, thought out. It is in advance, an intention and a decision. By the topic, PLAN is seen as a seed.
Benjamin Franklin’s wrote: “By failing to plan, you are preparing to fail.” It is similar to what Winston Churchill said: “He who fails to plan is planning to fail.”
The portion we read in James is not against making plans, but discourages us from making plans with little or no consideration of the God-factor.
In Proverbs 21:31 the Bible says: “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the Lord.” And in Chapter 16:9 it reads: “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. In 19:21 says: “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” This is because it is only God that can grant our desires: Psalms 20:4 – “May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!”
People make plans and fail. The question is why?
• Plans Without Counsel – easy to read version (Prov. 15:22)
If a person does not get enough advice, then his plans will fail, but a person will succeed if he listens to the things wise people tell him. Wise people here means: anyone with the fear of God. Prov.1:7 says: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
• Plans Without God – James 4:15; There are two things here.
• Planning In Contradiction To God’s Word – Gen. 11:1-9. God was not against their building, but was against the fact they were building in contradiction to Gen. 1:28 “fill the earth and multiply.”
• Planning Without Respecting God’s Power – Psalm 62:11 says “…. Power belongs to God.”
Eccl. 9:11: “The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding nor favour to men of skill, but time and change happen to them all.
Good Planning Is Said To Be:
Simple, well defined objectives, comprehensive, flexible, economical, stable, free from ambiguity, balanced, practicable, future oriented, action oriented, and reliable.
One author said elements of a good plan are:
• There should be coordination in short-term and long-term planning.
• Economic social effects should also be kept in view.
• Proper attention may be given to human aspects.
• Plans should be logically sound.
• Responsibilities should also be determined along with the powers delegated for plan execution.
• Contact the Rector: The Ven Stephen Wolemonwu on 08035413812 Email: stephenwolemonwu@gmail.com; blessedcrown2010@yahoo.com
Whatever we are or will be is dependent upon what God allows: 1 Sam. 2:7-8: “The Lord makes poor and makes rich, He brings low and lifts up, He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory.
I pray that in this year, God will guide your feet. Remember, by strength no man shall prevail – 1 Sam. 2:9b
• Contact the Rector: The Ven Stephen Wolemonwu on 08035413812 Email: stephenwolemonwu@gmail.com; blessedcrown2010@yahoo.com
