Committing All Our Efforts to God

Proverbs 16:1-9 (NLT) ¹We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer. ²People may be pure in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their motives. ³Commit your actions to the LORD, and you plans will succeed. ⁴The LORD has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster. ⁵The LORD detests the proud; they will surely be punished. ⁶Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the LORD, people avoid evil. ⁷When people’s lives please the LORD, even their enemies are at peace with them. ⁸Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest. ⁹We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

As I read through today’s text, I am struck with the thought of how many times we do something, but rarely see the trickle-down effect of our efforts. About four years ago, while browsing online for poetry, I discovered a poem supposedly written by an unknown 10-year-old girl from Canada. I was shocked to see a poem I, myself, had written when I was a 12-year-old girl from Florida. It was clearly my poem, word for word, posted approximately 48 years after it was written. So strange, but true.

I remembered passing out numerous copies of my poem. Each copy was hand-written on notebook paper and given or mailed to many friends and relatives, even as far away as Maine—which is probably how it eventually reached Canada after so many years. The point is: we may have plans, but sometimes we never fully understand how God can use our efforts to His purposes.

 

Gracious Heavenly Father, our LORD God Almighty,

Please forgive our moments of pride or selfishness. We commit our work to you in order that we may be your servants. Use our humble efforts to Your honor and glory.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotion Committing All Our Efforts to God was originally written for Tuesday, October 16, 2018; for Maranatha Devotional Guide, an Advent Christian Publication https://acgc.us   As the original author of this devotion, I reserve the right to update and share it on my current devotional blog Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.