Our Puny Plans



Prayer: Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the  upright. Give thanks to the Lord  with the lyre; make melody to Him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. For the word of the Lord is upright, and all His work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. Psalm 33:1-5

Read : Psalm 33

Think about It: History is filled with stories of world leaders who believed they were invincible. In 1887, Lord Acton said, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." All of us can name leaders who appeared to be corrupt and who's actions lead us to believe they were certainly "bad men." Just because He was the Son of God did not exempt Jesus from experiencing the corrupt power of bad men.
     History places Jesus into the reigns of 2 King Herods, Caesar Augustus, Pontius Pilate, and many others. While historians do not  label Caesar as a bad man, they are not kind to King Herod. He believed that he could act without consequence and find that all of his commands would bring about his desired results. Our Psalm for this week, Psalm 33  would fly in the face of that belief.
     Of particular interest are verses 10-12. Those invincible leaders need to recognize that nothing happens without the Lord God's consent! Nothing. All of their little plans are simply that in His eyes.

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

     It is a wise leadership that recognizes the sovereign power of an  Almighty God. King Herod chose fear of dethronement rather than  worship of the Newborn King. His attempts to end Jesus' life before it really began were thwarted by a couple of dreams and an obedient step-father. God's plan was not going to be changed by someone who's power had corrupted their mind and stripped them of faith. The plan of salvation went forth without interference from man's puny plans.

Prayer : Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love, that He may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in Him, because we trust in His holy name. Let Your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in You. Psalm 33:18-22

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