A New Year, A New Plan
Stefan Van der Merwe
We’ve hit January (again!) — The name of the first month in the year “January” is given after the Roman god “Of new beginnings and transitions” (or endings). And so, we have transitioned into a new year and 2022 is afoot!
Hensie and I have been very busy lately writing reports for ministry done in 2021 to our ministry partners in the mission we serve with and writing up new grants for 2022. None of this is possible without planning and as leaders in the mission we serve with we realize that proper planning is vital to the health and success of our work.
For a leader, the cycle of planning and feedback (or accountability) never ends, but what about your own personal life? What are your plans?
You probably know the saying, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail, but I am not here today to tell you something different (because that is actually very true), but my aim today is to add a biblical emphasis on our new year’s resolutions and plans.
I realize that many people often go through life without planning too much (I’m not that much of a planner myself to be honest). That is often a “safe option” because then we cannot be disappointed if things do not go the way we planned, and of course, the only person that always reaches all his goals is the one who does not have any goals.
Let’s look at some biblical examples of planning
The examples
God planned
“Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass, (Isaiah 37:26)
It speaks about God’s ability to plan ahead. All the prophecies in the Old Testament that were fulfilled through time also speaks of God’s ability to plan ahead, make his plans known to people and then fulfill them. God is, first and foremost, the planner par excellence because ALL his plans always succeed. It helps if you know the future doesn’t it?
Noah planned building the ark
Noah received explicit instructions from God to build the ark. God gave detailed measurements to Noah, and he was faithful to carry out the long-range plan. He finished construction of the ark, exactly as God told him — in 120 years. (Speak about long term plans!) The ark was built so well that it withstood 40 days of torrential rain, and then it floated a solid year as the floods subsided. (Genesis 7–9)
Nehemiah planned to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
The long-range plan of Nehemiah was to see the wall of Jerusalem rebuilt. He visualized the completion of the wall, and then began plans for its construction. The work was completed in 52 days because each family was assigned a certain portion of the wall to build. He planned and organized the project with excellence against all odds and opposition. (Nehemiah 1–5)
David planned building the temple and his son Solomon completed the plans.
David’s plan was to build a Temple for God (II Samuel 7). However, God did not allow David to build it because of his associations with wars (I Kings 5:2–3). When Solomon (David’s son) was chosen to succeed him, David handed Solomon the completed plan for the Temple and a list of materials on hand. After seven years of construction, the Temple was completed, and the long-range plan of David was fulfilled.
And then of course Jesus himself told several parables about planning:
We often fail to notice that Jesus spoke about the necessity of planning and strategy frequently. In two of his parables, He explained how foolish it is to neglect planning:
- The Wise and Foolish Builder: Matthew 7:24–27
- The Builder Counting the Cost: Luke 14:28–30
- The King Planning for Battle: Luke 14:31–32
- The Unjust Steward: Luke 16:1–8
The plan
Wednesday night this week I actually had a dream about a woman who had a budget set up for herself for the coming year and at first I thought, brilliant, she’s planning her expenses for the year that lies ahead but as I looked closer to the items on the budget I realized that one item said 20,000 UAH and the subscription that follows is — a humility pill. You’re probably as confused as I was — what on earth is a humility pill? No doubt, humility is a great virtue to desire but I am afraid that no amount of money is going to buy you humility.
What is the source of our plan? This is very important. Too often we rush ahead with some kinda project or plan of ours without inquiring of the Lord if that is His will for us. Three things are important for us here:
First, be always open to what the LORD WANTS you to do.
Noah’s ark building project in the desert serves as an example to us that God might even ask us to do something that seems totally strange or even absurd. This was not Noah’s plan but God’s plan and He needed a man to be obedient and act on God’s given plan. (What about Abraham and Isaac?) Are you open to do what the Lord requires of you? Instead of starting with what you want, it is important to ask God first what it is that He wants of you. This process is not that simple but it will require you to spend time with Him.
Second, what YOU WANT to do, should always be OK’ed by God.
Often our plans starts with a desire, like Nehemiah’s desire to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem after he heard the sad news of the state it was in or David’s desire to build a house (temple) for God after he realized that the ark of the Lord was still housed in a tent while he was lavishing in the courts of his fancy cedar covered palace. There is nothing wrong with our desires or plans and in Nehemiah’s case it was 100% the will of God and 52 days later the walls were rebuilt!
In David’s case there was a hold up. God wanted his son Solomon to start with the building and not David himself. Note that God did not say to David that he has a bad plan, but he did tell him that he will not be the one to put the plan in action. Are you willing to wait if God says wait?
Do not confuse what YOU WANT with what GOD WANTS.
Often enough we have such a great desire to see a plan started that we unknowingly put a “stamp of approval” from God on it without Him actually approving it. God’s will is first of all visible for us in the Bible. If you are unsure if what you are planning is what God wants the first step will always be to make sure that the bible agrees with what you are planning. Are you willing to search the scripture to make sure your plans are biblically acceptable?
In Acts 17:11 we also see that the “Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica,for they…examined the Scriptures every day…”
The motivation (behind the plan)
Writing up a plan is often difficult for some of us, but for others, the execution is the point of hesitation. Especially the start. What should motivate us a Christians in either our daily tasks or in longer term strategic plans? I realize that this questions actually could lead to a whole new sermon on it’s own, nevertheless would like to mention a few things that could and should drive us to action:
Love — Our love for our God and accompanying love for others should always be the first motivation. Charles C. Bing puts it this way:
“Surely love is the highest motive for serving God. A boy may be motivated to clean his room by a number of things: fear of punishment, desire for reward, or sense of duty. But isn’t he most virtuous when, out of love for his parents and with nothing to gain only to give, he does what he knows will please them? So too, the child of God is at his ethical zenith when he chooses to do what is good and right out of unselfish love for God. Jesus taught that those who love God will obey Him (John 14:21; 1 John 5:2).”
Gratitude — If you start to contemplate everything God has done for you, it is easy to understand that gratitude itself is a great motivational factor to serve God and follow Him and the plans He has for you. When the sinful woman gratefully washed Jesus’ feet with her tear-soaked hair, Jesus explained that those who are forgiven much love much, and those who are forgiven little love little (Luke 7:36–50). A boy might clean his room because he is grateful to his parents for taking him to the zoo that morning. What are you thankful for and how does that motivate you to serve the Lord?
Eternal Significance — The desire to fulfill God’s eternal purpose can be another significant motivation for the 11 Christian. This speaks of one’s enjoyment of the eternal purposes for which they were created, redeemed, sanctified, and glorified. If God has “put eternity in their hearts’’ (Ecc. 3:11), then people are driven to have that capacity filled. For example, a boy might clean his room because he understands that this act expands his significance in the home and brings the possibility of a greater role for him in the future.
Rewards — Rewards in the Bible can be enjoyed in this life or in eternity. Both prospects are unquestionably a motivation for Christian service. Christians might serve faithfully 14 for rewards just as a boy might clean his room because he is promised a dollar to do so. Which of course brings us then back to the motive behind his motivation, but let us keep it there.
Duty — Doing one’s duty may result in a reward, but true duty does not expect one. In Jesus’ teaching on the faithful servant, duty is done as its own reward (Luke 17:7–10). The servant is not first rewarded with a meal for his work, but is expected to do first his duty in preparing his master’s meal before he himself eats. Jesus asks, Does he thank the servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ (vv. 9–10)
Fear — Fear is another worthy biblical motivation. It is more a motivation to not do evil than it is to do good or to serve God. A boy might clean his room because he fears a punishment if he doesn’t clean. But when the threat of punishment is removed, so is his motivation. In this negative sense, fear is the most immature of the motivations because it comes from an immature or undeveloped love:
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18)
The process (during execution of the plan)
For some (as said before) the planning phase is particularly difficult. For others it is starting out but for most of us it is the continuation thereof to the end that is most troublesome. Here are a couple of points to remember during the process.
Persistence
I love to watch tennis and on the Tennis Channel, Prudential (an Investment Management Firm) has this ad that they often show on the channel that says, “Consistency is the only currency that matters”. That is pretty much true for most of our plans. Persistency is the key. It’s not always easy to stick it out and keep doing what you are doing, but any plan needs a healthy dose of persistence.
Here are a couple of bible verses that speaks about persistence:
Galatians 6:9 — Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Luke 11:9–10–9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Luke 18:1–8 — Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes,l will he find faith on the earth?”
Proverbs 24:16 — for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.
Luke 11:5–10–5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. 9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
2 Thessalonians 3:13 — And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.
Revelations 2:10 — Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
You are not alone
Apart from the gifts God has given us to serve him, we must also remember that he promised to never leave us and never forsake us.
Matt 28:20 — And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Psalm 23:4 — Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
The end (of my plan)
Few things in life are as satisfying as finishing up a project, a task, a quest or a God given plan more than a good finish.
Three years ago I had the privilege to be part of the “Four musketeers” extreme hike in the Carpathian mountains and apart from my armed forces training when I was younger, this hike surely was a great physical challenge for me. During the three day hike we had it all. Joy (in the beginning), anger (at the incredibly difficult path), denial, fear and so forth, but the look on the faces of those who eventually finished the hike was absolutely priceless. Nothing compares to that feeling that you’ve done it!
As Christians, God has given us all we need to finish well. Whether it is a project we are now working on, studies you are now busy with or any plan you are working to accomplish. BUT, when the plan is at long last finished there is one main thing that still remains:
Thanksgiving!
If we think back on everything we have accomplished in life we must admit that none of it was possible if it wasn’t for God. He gave you your health, He gave you the mental capacity, He gave you the endurance and strength to persist and He was with you even though it was not always smooth sailing.
Psalms 95:1–3
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.
3 For the Lord is the great God,
the great King above all gods.
