“Indeed, the Sovereign Lord never does anything until He reveals His plans to His servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7 NLT)
All we need to do if we want to know what the Lord is up to is read His Word. He never acts contrary to what He’s explained in Scripture. Amos’ words outline God’s plan for judgment, not simply for the children of Israel in that season of time, but for their future when the Lord would restore their land and draw them to Himself once again.
Much of the writings of the Old Testament Prophets dealt with how the Lord would deal with His people, Israel, but in and through them He would also make a way of restoration and salvation for those of us who are non-Jewish. God’s redemptive hand is upon all creation and includes much more than the restoration of the Nation of Israel.
Because the blood of Jesus atoned for the sins of all those who would place their faith in Him, Jew and non-Jew, every born-again believer in Jesus is part of God’s redemptive work on earth. What does that entail? The Gospel is Good News for everyone, which means everyone who bears our Savior’s name and has His holy blood flowing through our veins is invested and involved in the restorative workings of God’s Spirit on earth, but especially in and through His people to reach those who have yet to yield their life to Him.
Too often we’re content to “coast” in our faith, wrongly believing because our sins are forgiven and the Spirit indwells us, we’re good to go, our work on earth is done, all we have to do is sit back and wait for heaven, but to do so is to slap our Lord in the face and spurn His grace. He gives us power to carry out HIS plans and purposes, not ours. What does that mean? What plans?
Plans to prosper and bless us, but to what end? That we might invest ourselves in His eternal Kingdom by sharing His life and love with others. Pastor Corky Calhoun reminds us: “God has a bigger plan for your life than just picking your retirement home after death.” Knowing we have a home in heaven should motivate us to be more on fire for the Lord than anything else. Helping in every conceivable way to share His love with others.
It’s interesting to me that the Lord always shared His plans with His Prophets, but more encouraging is that He still shares His plans with us individually. He has plans for the world, but He also has plans for you and me. Why would He desire for us to “listen to His voice” if He didn’t have specific instructions for each of us? The word “hear” is used 130 times in the King James Version of the Bible and most often has reference to our need to be aware and attentive to that which is spoken, especially by the Lord.
God’s plans for us are always for good, but most times involve not just our good, but the good of others, especially those with whom we’re seeking to share His love and goodness. How does that relate to how we order our lives? What plans does the Lord have for us that invest us more fully in the fulfillment of His eternal purposes? How are we serving in and through our local church? What efforts are we involved in to reach our lost loved ones, friends, co-workers, classmates, neighbors, and others?
My sense is, even in heaven, we’ll be invested in working for the Lord in some capacity. Adam and Eve had responsibilities and we’re accountable to the Lord before the Fall. How much more will we be involved in the pursuing of His eternal purposes and carrying out His plans in heaven!
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 