The Lord establishes

The Lord establishes

Proverbs 16:1-9

Proverbs 16 (NIV)

1To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue.

2All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.

3Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

4The LORD works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster.

5The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

6Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD evil is avoided.

7When the LORD takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them.

8Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.

9In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.

Introduction

Preparing for a large banquet

Let's imagine that you are preparing for a big banquet.

Hundreds of guests are expected to attend, and you need to arrange seats for them. So, you work really hard to line up hundreds of chairs in rows.

Just when you're almost done, the host of the banquet comes up and says,

“Shouldn't the chairs be placed in the opposite direction? The main stage is on the other side.”

Rearrange everything...

Now, you have to turn each and every single one of the chairs that you have arranged in the opposite direction.

What thoughts come to mind as you listen to this story?

“How can you be so stupid? Why didn't you ask the banquet host from the beginning which way the chairs should be arranged?”

This story may sound foolish, but in fact, this story is a metaphor of the reality that we all are repeating with our own lives. And today’s Scripture accurately illustrates this reality.

Let’s read verse 1

Body

From the Lord comes the proper answer

To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.

Here, the word plans literally means “put things in order”,

Just as we arrange chairs one by one at a banquet, we set our life plans into practice day by day.

Yet, the banquet host is the one who ultimately decides who the chairs should be arranged and how the banquet should be prepared.

“From Him comes the proper answer of the tongue.” He is the one who has the final say, and everything is managed according to his will.

And so is our lives. Although we set our plans and work hard to execute them, but the success or failure of these plans ultimately depends on God’s will, He has the final say.

God’s sovereignty is fair

Now when you hear this, you might think that this idea of God’s sovereignty is unfair.

Let’s say you've bought a plot of land, set the foundation, and built a beautiful house with your own hands. You take care of everything in this house. You handle the property taxes and all the bills. You employ workers to manage it all the time. Everything, from top to bottom, inside and outside of this house, is owned and maintained by you.

Given this, wouldn't you agree that you should have the right to decide how things are run in this house? That’s the idea of God’s sovereignty.

If God truly is the creator and sustainer of the universe, then He rightfully holds sovereignty. Everything is from Him and for Him. You may choose to deny God's existence, but if you believe that God exists, you cannot stripe Him of His authority over His creation.

As Dr. R. C. Sproul astutely puts it, "if God is not sovereign, then God is not God."

This is God’s world and we are His creation

So, we must reestablish our relationship with God.

Of course, God created the universe and allowed us to freely enjoy the work of His creation. Like a generous and responsible father, God has given everything that we need to sustain our lives in his house.

But at the same time, we need to acknowledge that this is God’s world, and we are His creation. God is the head of this household and He has the ultimate control.

God’s sovereignty is necessary

Furthermore, the sovereignty of God is not only fair but necessary. For any organization or group to function properly, everyone must obey established authority. It is not oppressive or violent, it is common sense.

What if an orchestra performed without a conductor? Or a soccer game was played without a coach or a captain? What if the banquet is prepared according to each workers ideas and preferences while there is no one to manage it?

While the idea of self-autonomy may sound appealing, anyone with experience in coordinating a group knows it can lead to chaos.

For things to run smoothly, there needs to be a set of rules, principles, and boundaries. An individual or an organization needs to take charge, and everyone must respect and follow their authority.

We need this authority because we are not perfect. It’s a well established reality and yet somehow we have a hard to acknowledging it. While we can grow into a more responsible and mature human beings, we are simply incapable of live a perfect life.

Although we were created in God's perfect image, our beings has been polluted and distorted due to the effect of sin. Like a drunk driver, we might think that we can walk on a straight line, but the reality is our legs are shaking and our steps are leaning left and right due to the effect of the alcohol. Sin has polluted and distorted us, and we all are destined to go astray if you follow our own motives and desires. That’s why we need to listen to God’s voice and obey His commands.

So, God’s sovereignty is fair and it is necessary. But there is something more

God’s sovereignty is beautiful, it is worthy of our love and adoration.

Know God’s intention

“Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies

Your righteousness is like the highest mountains and your justice like the great deep.

You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.” (Psalm 36:5-6)

We find songs like this throughout the Bible. People throughout the history praised and glorified God’s beauty revealed in His creation. Yahweh is God of love and faithfulness, He rules with righteousness and justice.

There may be times when the power of the wicked seems formidable, and their methods appear successful. However, God promises to hold them accountable. Despite their claims of being kings and gods of this world, they are mere creations at the hands’ of Creator’s mercy. History will unfold according to God's will, and His will for the world is beautiful. It is worthy of our full devotion. So much so that when we commit our ways to the will of God, even our enemies will see its beauty and make peace with us.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Care for the creation and all that is within it. Be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth.

These are the ideas not from human rights organizations or environmentalists but originated from the Bible, which testifies to us the beauty of God’s intention.

Conclusion

Commit to the Lord

Knowing all these, it is only right for us to commit to the Lord whatever we do. And trust and commitment to the Lord should always come first.

It's not sensible for us to line up all the chairs first and then rush to the banquet host and beg him to change the banquet setting.

It's not that there is zero possibility that the banquet host will pity us and mercifully change his arrangement for our sake, but imagine how foolish would that will look like?

Better is for us to ask for his will first,

trust him in his beautiful planning and commit ourselves in whatever we do, and we will see everything look in a beautiful harmony.

We often say that our lives are too busy to seek and discern God’s will

I really wanted to do devotional but I have something more urgent, more important at hands.

There are homework, college applications, business matters, family issues etc.

I will seek and discern God’s will later, after I take care of these issues

It’s like saying that we are too busy too set up those chairs and we do not have time to listen to the master’s instruction

And that is foolishness

If it is the Lord’s will...

In James 4, we found a illustration of life that well captures the essence of that foolishness

This story tells us how limited we are, and how vain our plans are without acknowledging the sovereignty of God.

Instead of us planning our lives according to our own wills

We ought to say “if it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that”

And the interesting part comes next, in verse 17

17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

Notice how James is connecting the Lord’s will with doing “good”

Committing to the Lord is ultimate manifested in our act of doing good.

Good for the others

Good for the creation

Which is pleasing to the creator

May God equip us!

We all have many plans in our life. And at times we are so busy and overwhelmed by those plans that we tremble with fear and worry.

But if the establishment of all our plans are ultimately dependent on God’s sovereign rule

Then our focus shouldn’t be how we should accomplish those plans, but how our plans align with God’s will.