The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Proverbs 16:1-6, “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the LORD weighs the motives.
3 Commit your works to the LORD, and your plans will be established.
4 The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil.
5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; assuredly, he will not be unpunished.
6 By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil.”

Don’t you find the Proverbs of Solomon rich? Yes, and they’re also quite convicting. Look at verse one above. Have you ever planned meticulously just what you were going to say? Maybe you even practiced how you should look by using the bathroom mirror. Then, when the time came for your performance, the whole scheme was reversed. What you said was totally different from what you had planned to say. Could it be that the LORD saw a flaw in your program?Your motive was wrong and He changed things?

When we take counsel from the LORD, everything works out well. He has a purpose behind all His plans, so He causes His purpose to override ours. Isn’t it good to have One who is all powerful and all wise to override our plans with His own? Our objection to His override often comes from what is known as “human pride.” The LORD does not like our human pride! After all, He is LORD! And everything ought to accure to His glory, not to ours.

It’s as when we were children, visiting with our parents at a relative’s home. The lady of the house would remark to our parents how well behaved and obedient we were. Remember? You don’t? Well, if that ever happened, your parents were honored by your obedient behavior. And when we obey the LORD, He is honored and glorified by our alignment with His will. That’s what it’s all about. One day He will welcome us when we go to live in His Eternal Home. We had better practice love and truth some before we go, don’t you think?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom