“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9, NIV)
I don’t know about you, but to me the first 16 days of 2019 have felt like the blur of a bullet train as it races by. Plans laid out months ago are unfolding, and future ones are forming. At the same time, I feel the pull to slam on the brakes as my calendar fills up (even though I am responsible for making these plans!).
Have you made some plans for 2019? New resolutions? Goals you want to accomplish? Golfers set goals all the time. Lower our handicap or break a certain benchmark, like 90, 80, or 70. Maybe your plans include practicing more each week. Some of you are eager to shoot your age this year. All good plans.
Maybe his plans are even grander than our own, and we need to be up for that!How about spiritual plans: read through the Bible in one year, attend a Links Fellowship for the first time, or take time every morning to be quiet and pray? Do you have a stack of books you want to read? (I do.) All good plans.
Do you have new goals concerning your personal life? Work out. Eat less sugar. Get more sleep. Drink more water. Read instead of watch TV (one of mine). Change jobs. Spend more time with family. All good plans.
I have many plans for 2019. My first three months are loaded with travel, ministry opportunities, and fellowship and golf with friends. When the Symetra Tours schedule begins this spring, I will travel to about 13 events to offer safe opportunities for young women to talk about life on and off the golf course. I will visit Links Fellowships and partner with the Links Players staff where helpful. Writing devotionals, working on my book, and planning training seminars for sports leaders and athletes are all in motion. All good plans.
I believe making plans, writing out goals, and having a vision for 2019 are important in helping us stay on our unique track with Jesus. But here’s the twist. God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways; his are always higher than ours. This doesn’t mean we need to surrender our imagination or dreams. Nor are we to sit back and do nothing. Maybe his plans are even grander than our own, and we need to be up for that!
Creating plans and setting goals for the year are good habits, but we do this in the shadow of knowing that God is big and we are small. In this space I believe we can learn something from our Arabic and Jewish friends in how to approach our future plans. In Arabic, the phrase inshallah means “God willing.” A similar Hebrew phrase, B’ezrat HaShem means “with the help of God.” Recognizing God’s sovereignty over our plans might sound like this, “I plan on traveling to 13 Symetra Tour events, God willing.”
Today, be encouraged to make plans, set goals, and dream big in 2019. And always remember to submit it all to God willing or with the help of God.
—
Tracy Hanson
January 17, 2019
Copyright 2019 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.