(Proverbs 21:1-8)
1 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;He turns it wherever He pleases.
2 Every person’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord examines the hearts.
3 To do righteousness and justice
Is preferred by the Lord more than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
The lamp of the wicked, is sin.
5 The plans of the diligent certainly lead to advantage,
But everyone who is in a hurry certainly comes to poverty.
6 The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.
7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
Because they refuse to act with justice.
8 The way of a guilty person is crooked,
But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
My grade 6 teacher often said, "Haste makes waste." I would kind of roll my eyes every time he said that, but he is so right! Rushing into anything, big or small, is never wise. Without thoughtful planning, one is more likely to cut corners by lying and/or doing something illegal, or at the very least, doing a job that is not satisfactory. So the potential "poverty" is not just about financial loss, but can include death, wasted time, and depletion of integrity and standards. So even in dire situations with impending danger, we should spend the time even to just pray, "Lord, help!"
What does that have to do with relationships? Well, if these projects are being done at a workplace, your relationships with your boss and colleagues will be compromised. If these plans involve your spouse and children, everything that is done will impact your family. Everything we do and say will either help or hinder the relationships around us, so it is always best to consider each step we take.
To help with that, we have the omniscient and omnipotent Lord God who desires to have a personal relationship with us! He not only wants to save, fill, transform and empower us, but He wants to help us understand the best way to do things so that things work out for good. Therefore, He gave us His word, so that we can study and clearly understand His plans and the plans and purpose He has for us. Afterall, He is truth, as well as love.
Now, even if a person chooses to live by God's truth, but doesn't give Him their heart to save, fill, transform and empower, it doesn't matter what a person does or doesn't do or how religious they are. Without the Lord's forgiveness, a person is still enslaved to their sin which fills their heart and deceives them into thinking that they don't need the Lord's salvation or help.
One day, the Lord will judge our hearts. Sinners will be judged and punished by their sins. And because, as believers, our sins have been forgiven, we will be judged and rewarded for our good deeds done with right motives. Therefore, even now, the Lord examines our hearts. For those who have given their hearts to the Lord in faith, we have His indwelling Holy Spirit of promise to seal us for eternity and to convict and guide us. And because we do, our faith, our belief, and our relationship with Him will be evident in how we choose to live, in His righteousness and justice.
And, even though we cannot lose our salvation, we can still stumble. This happens when we decide to do things in our own strength, wisdom and desires. If we let ourselves become proud and arrogant, this is when we will start chasing after sin. This is when we start putting other things ahead of the Lord, such as money, sleep, pleasure, wine, oil, money... These things are not evil in and of themselves, it is the LOVE of these things. And anyone who puts their trust in possessions, riches, strength, or their own wisdom, will come to ruin.
Victory belongs to the Lord! The Lord is creator of all things, and He is the one who gives good gifts and wants the best for us. So why love and worship the things that God has created, when we can love and worship the Creator!? If we truly love and trust Him, then the most important focus in our lives will be the Lord, and following His will.
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