Daily Butter 8/6: Change of plans or change of planner?

My little addition to Our Daily Bread (8/6/11):

    Commit your activities to the LORD
    and your plans will be achieved.

    (Proverbs 16:3 HCSB)

I’m not sure if it’s a symptom of the way I was raised or something I just developed along the way, but I have always approached “success” promises like this with such skepticism. And even though it is “in the red letters,” I found the promise that “my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name” (John 16:23b HCSB) a tough one to believe. Perhaps that comes from the almost flippant way everyone just tags on “in Jesus name” right before the “Amen” in hopes that it will slide under the umbrella of the promise.) Yet I am growing into a better understanding of these promises as I grow in my understanding of what it really means to be committed to Him or do things “in His name.”

In a recent Bible study group, we re-examined what this appointment we have received to be Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) really means. We understand that an ambassador is the official representative of a sovereign nation in a foreign land. So as the US Ambassador to South Africa, the words and actions of Donald Gips are rightly viewed by those in South Africa as the official response of the United States of America. Similarly, as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven living in this world who have been appointed to be an ambassador of our King, we are to speak and act in this world “in His name.” As my requests become truly representative of the official stance of my King, of course those requests will be met.

Similarly, a heart truly committed to Him as this Proverb states will be transforming into exactly what He wants me to be. If I am becoming exactly who He desires me to be, my committing my activities to Him ensures that my planned destination and His desired destination for me will be the same.

I also wanted to say Dave Branon wrote in today’s ODB really hit home. Yesterday, while I was sure we had it figured out to work out just right, some miscalculations and mishaps made us a bit later to our destination. I allowed it to get me frustrated as I was driving and it almost got ugly as I realized moments after it landed back on my own ears that something I said in the situation would have sounded like blame if I were sitting in my wife’s seat. But thankfully my wife handled it with graceful silence and we arrived safely. While I don’t have a miraculous story like Toni’s about how God used this, I certainly know He turned it into a spotlight for today’s ODB on the truth of being thankful for the plan alterations.

Andy Jentes