Thursday, December 3, 2015

Proverbs 16: The God Behind The Curtain

Ever heard the expression, "There is a God, and you're not Him?"  While not officially one of Solomon's proverbs, that saying does complement one of themes in his book.  Many proverbs indicate that, although we often presume that we are the ones in charge, God has actually reserved for Himself the ability to call the shots.  We call this concept "sovereignty."

Here are several such proverbs from just chapter 16 alone:
  • "The plans of the mind belongs to mortals, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord" (vs. 1).
  • "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established" (vs. 3).
  • "The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps" (vs. 9).
  • "The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is the Lord's alone" (vs. 33).

If this is true (and much biblical witness stands in support), what does that mean for our responsibility?  Do we really have any control or agency in this life, or is it all merely an illusion?  Should we be fatalistically resigned to shrugging our shoulders and disengaging from the world because, after all, God will just do what He wants?

I don't think that is the response of a mature believer.  While wisdom teaches us to be aware of how much lies outside of our control and to recognize that God is the One who holds the universe in the palm of His hand, it is also incumbent upon us to realize that we remain in control of one very important aspect of Creation: Ourselves!

We may not control the outcome, but we are responsible for our actions and reactions.  In the dance of life, God leads and we are responsible to follow His lead.  My wife Debbie used to have a little saying on her dorm room wall in college: "Life is 10% what you make it, and 90% how you take it."

How are you "taking" life?  Do you understand and appreciate God's role in the cosmos?  Do you understand and appreciate yours?  Consider living by the wisdom of verse 3, which gives us a hopeful, common sense approach to living within this tension and bears repeating: "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."

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