August 16

Aug 16 - Today from Proverbs 16 we look at verse 1
"To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue."

This proverb addresses a profound mystery that has caused controversy amongst even the greatest of theologians. It is the mystery of the relationship of man's free will and God's sovereignty. The proverb does not solve the mystery, it only validates it.
Men are not puppets being manipulated by God to work out His great drama of history. Man is free to make his own choices and devise his own plans. "To man belong the plans of the heart." God can speak to and influence man's heart - and the devil can just as easily speak to and influence man's heart. Judas heard the same teachings and saw the same miracles that the other eleven disciples heard and saw. The betrayal of Jesus by Judas was a decision that Judas made. Yet, in the grand scheme of things, the say over the final outcome was God's and God's alone. "From the Lord comes the reply of the tongue." God did not make Judas choose wrong, but Judas participated in ultimately fulfilling God's will. It's a mystery. When Caiaphas the High Priest executed the sentence of Jesus death, he did it in the anointing of the office. He declared that it was better that one man die for the people than to see the whole nation perish (John 11:50). The writer of the gospel then reveals that Caiaphas did not say this on his own, but that he was prophesying that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation (vs. 51). Caiaphas made the choice from his own heart. His plan was wicked. Yet, its outcome was clearly in God's hands, and became a part of God's Divine Drama. It's a mystery.
Now, can we say that Judas and Caiaphas deserve to be rewarded for their participation in bringing God's plan of redemption to fulfillment? Can they look back and boast that they were ultimately right after all? Will God excuse them because they were mere players on God's divine stage of life? Can they stand before the generations of saints and declare that they deserve some credit for restoring man to God? The answer is clearly found in verse 5 of Proverbs 16 - "The Lord detests the proud heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished." Pride is found in self-centeredness. When the plans of a person's heart are born out of their own understanding and not God's, the plan is born of pride. Betrayal and murder do not come from God's understanding. Judas and Caiaphas would not go unpunished.
What is the practical lesson here? The lesson is that we can not be completely pragmatic about our faith. We cannot say, "In the end, it all worked out for the better. It was, therefore, a good plan after all." If the plan was unjustly conceived in one's own understanding, and it's execution caused harm and pain to others, those who participated will not go unpunished - no matter what the outcome. Thank God that He is able to turn all things to good for those that love Him and have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). That doesn't mean that 'things' were right and good from the start. In Genesis 50:15-21 we see the end of the story of Joseph. Joseph's brother's intended to do away with him. They carried out their self-centered plan of brotherly betrayal and Joseph was out of the family for many years - but God turned the situation to good and saved Joseph's brothers from hardship and starvation through, and in spite of, their own evil action. Were the brothers pragmatic in their approach to Joseph in the end? Did they say that if it weren't for their action that Joseph would have never risen to power and that their father would have suffered and starved to death in his old age? No. They humbled themselves before Joseph and confessed their sin. They offered themselves as servants, pleading for mercy. Joseph indeed had mercy - and even gave grace. He was a Christ-type.
As we traverse this world as followers of Christ, we are going to find ourselves on both sides of the issue. There will be times when we devise a wrong and unjust plan out of our own understanding, and people will be hurt. Even if God turns the situation to good, we still stand accused. In those situations we must humble ourselves and come forward and confess our sin to God and to those who were hurt. We must ask for mercy. Only then will we find release from our guilt in the matter. There will be times when we are the victims of the wrong devices of others. God, in His mercy may turn it to good, but the anger and hardness of heart may still keep us bound. We must forgive and move on with God's purposes. If the guilty humble themselves and ask for mercy, we must accept their contriteness and receive them. If they remain proud and unrepentant, we must forgive and leave the final outcome in God's hands. Joseph said to his brothers, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God?" Listen to the implication dear saints. Our task is to follow God's purposes, not to take God's place. He is the final judge, and the proud of heart will not go unpunished. We can take comfort in that if we must, but the greater promise is to be our constant focus; the promise that the righteous will be rewarded. Righteousness is servanthood. That is God's purpose for us.