To the Ends of the Earth: Legacy – Catholic Men's Devotionals, Week 1 – The Best-laid Plans...

Do not boast about tomorrow,

   for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,

   and he who guards his master will be honored.

Know well the condition of your flocks,

   and give attention to your herds;

for riches do not last for ever;

   and does a crown endure to all generations?

Proverbs 27:1, 18, 23–24

Men tend to like order. When we make plans, we like to stick to them. We are also providers who want to make sure our families have what they need. Yet in this broken world of ours, situations change, human beings can be fickle, and unpredictable events pop up all the time. Just when we think everything is fine, a sudden illness comes along, a friend falls away, our employment changes, or some other disaster strikes. These realities teach us that to rely on our best-laid plans places us on shaky ground.

Though we are but dust and ashes, God enables us to live our lives and make plans for the future — plans that impact not just us, but those who will come after us as well. Yet, ultimately, God is in charge of everything, including the course of our lives and the legacy we leave behind. Still, we are called to be attentive to our responsibilities as Catholic men. This week, we will reflect on how we are to strike the balance between making plans and trusting God. We will consider the following points:

1.         God cares about our efforts and rewards them.

While God is all-powerful and does not need our help (Acts 17:25), he still calls us to take care of ourselves and those he has placed in our care. We have his promise that, if we are faithful to him, we will reap the harvest of our efforts and experience God’s provision.

2.         God is the power that binds all things together.

We may feel we have control of our lives, but God alone is before all things and holds everything together (Col 1:17). We have the power to make plans and direct our actions only because God has given it to us. Instead of relying on our own strength to prepare for our future, and for the generations that will follow us, we must rely on God alone.

3.         God directs all things for good.

Often as we make our own plans, we forget that God’s plan for us is bolder, bigger, and much better than we could ever imagine. God has planned a future full of hope and not harm for his people (Jer 29:11). We can trust that he directs all things for good (Rom 8:28), knowing that our fear and doubt will give way to faith in the unfolding of his perfect will.

4.         God’s purposes for our lives prevail.

We make many plans, but in the end it is God’s will that will stand (Prv 19:21). We live, we work, and we plan for our future; yet in everything, God’s eternal and perfect will still comes to pass. He loves us that much.

5.         We have no cause for worry.

God’s plan was never designed to cause us anxiety or fear. As we work to find our place and leave our mark in this life, we can allow the daily worries to give way to childlike trust, knowing God greatly desires to provide all that we need to complete the journey he has set for us.

A Call to Action

This week, be mindful of the sovereign God who calls us to journey toward tomorrow while relying on him to see us through. Though we have no guarantee of our next breath, we exist, we prosper, and we gain heaven all because of the love of God given to us in Christ. Thank God for his guidance and provision. Let your plans be centered on his promises and commands. Serve him by seeking his will and living it out in all you say and do. Take time for prayer, study, fellowship, and worship throughout the week.

As you interact with others, remember that nothing is a surprise to God. Nothing is beyond the scope of his will and his power to work all things out according to his divinely laid plans. Let this precious truth calm your fears and guide your steps as you work out your legacy and look toward a future where lives are changed, joy flows freely, and hope reveals itself in the plans that God has laid out for you.

You can learn more about the To the Ends of the Earth Series HERE