December 16

Dec 16 – Today from Proverbs 16 we look at verse 3
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." (NIV)

A-h-h-h-h. If there were only a sure-fire formula for success, one could patent it and become a multi-millionaire overnight. But alas, there is no such thing in this world of infinite uncertainties – or is there? Can we take this ‘promise’ at face value?
There is another promise, this in the New Testament, spoken by the Lord Jesus Himself. He said, "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:14). It would seem that Christians have been given a ‘Master Card’ with no limit in spending.
The truth is that both of the verses under consideration here are fully reliable. As with all scripture, they must be understood within the context of the whole of scripture. Any attempt to isolate them and interpret them within the context of the world system will eventually leave the student greatly disappointed.
Can we commit a self-serving work to the Lord? No. It’s a contradiction in itself. Can we commit a work to the Lord that has not first been brought to Him for consideration? We might ‘dedicate’ a work to the Lord in such a manner, but we could never ‘commit’ it to Him without His consideration. It just doesn’t work that way. Can we commit a work to the Lord that does not meet with His approval? Pure foolishness. In our proverb, the Teacher is instructing the student of wisdom to consider your plans before God before you execute them. The disciple who is confident that his plan has the approval of God can also be confident that God will be faithful to see it succeed.
The same principle holds true with Jesus’ promise to His disciples in John 14:14. To ask in His Name means to ask in the context of His authority, His character, and thus His approval. Simply to attach the phrase "in the name of Jesus" to a petition without considering His will and His character is an act of futility. It’s not a magic phrase – even for His disciples. It is a challenge for His disciples to abide in Him and to seek to discern His will and to live in His character. Disciples who live in such a manner can be confident that when they ask for His provision He will indeed comply as they seek to carry out and fulfill His purposes.