Naked #9

There is nothing that can be hidden from God; everything in all creation is exposed and lies open before His eyes. And it is to Him that we must all give an account of ourselves (Hebrews 4:13 Good News Bible).
 
When I was a young Christian, I used to make up plans for the Lord to perform and go to Him, not only for His approval, but for His compliance. God is a terrific Daddy!  Beyond compare!  He never once told me my plans were stupid and would come to nothing. He went right along with me, holding my hand through the whole process, me leading the way, and eventually, He stood with me to watch the debacle of complete failure. Then I’d get mad at Him!

Why, if He knew I would fail, would He let me make a fool of myself? Why not stop me from the beginning and tell me my plans wouldn’t work? Think about it. Isn’t it through failure that we learn our strongest lessons? If I’d followed the Bible, I never would have done things my way; it’s all right there in black and white, but we don’t “get” it. Hard-headed? Probably. Self-determined? Undoubtedly. But fortunately, we eventually find humility. That Word, by the way, indicates we realize God is superior to ourselves and is a lot smarter; therefore, we submit to His plans, His purposes, and His pursuits.
 
When we realize that the purpose of prayer is to find out what God thinks, what God wants, and how God wants to go about achieving it, we are halfway up the road to success. The success of the other half of the road comes from obedience. God is watching. He has high hopes that you will surrender your will and your ways to His Will and His Ways, and in the meantime, He is cheering you on to discovery. So plan all you want, but remember that He is watching. Then go ahead and surrender. He’ll lead you in the right direction.