Moments with my First Love [UNDER REVISION]

MOMENT 10: Make Plans with the Lord

Have you ever made a plan that seems so refined? Tipong kalkulado mo na ang lahat... Bawat detalye plantsado naman. And you felt so confident that it would all be successful. 'Yong feeling na walang pwedeng magkamali kasi perpekto ang pagkakahanda mo. Yet, ending up in failure.

Ang sakit, 'diba? Buong akala mo magbubunga ng tagumpay pero sa huli, disappointment lang ang napala mo. It leaves you questioning, "Saan ako nagkamali? Ginawa ko naman ang lahat."

When we read the Bible, we will find many stories especially in the Old Testament where people plan for themselves without the guidance of the Lord. If truth be told? Ang hilig nating magmarunong. Akala natin dahil may kakayahan tayo, sapat na 'yon. But what happened to them? They ended up ashamed. They were lost. Naging palaboy sila sa kawalan dahil akala nila kaya nilang mag-navigate sa buhay gamit ang sarili nilang compass.

One story is the story where the Israelites was about to go to the Promised Land. God, through Moses, said that they should go. But they didn't listen and went their way. Para tayong mga Israelites. Ang tigas ng ulo natin minsan. Kung kailan sinabi ni Lord na lumakad, umaatras tayo dahil sa takot. Pero kung kailan naman sinabi Niyang huwag, doon naman tayo sumusugod gamit ang sariling lakas natin.

It was mentioned in Numbers 14:39-45

When Moses told these words to all the people of Israel, the people mourned greatly. And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, "Here we are. We will go up to the place that the LORD has promised, for we have sinned."

But Moses said, "Why now are you transgressing the command of the LORD, when that will not succeed? Do not go up, for the LORD is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies. For there the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned back from following the LORD, the LORD will not be with you."

But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses departed out of the camp.

Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah.

These Israelites were warned ahead. Malinaw naman sa kwento na hindi sila iniwang walang alam. They were told explicitly that what they were doing was a sin because it is disobedience to God. Hindi lang basta-basta pagkakamali ito, it was a willful refusal to submit to God's timing and direction.

They were also told what would happen and that God would not be with them. Ramdam mo ba 'yong bigat ng salitang "The Lord will not be with you"? That is the most dangerous territory any believer could ever walk into. But they went anyway! They presumed to go up to the mountaintop!

Grabe 'yong salitang "presumed" dahil ang ibig sabihin nito sa Tagalog,  "nagmarunong".  Subsuban 'yong pride natin minsan na kahit alam nating wala si Lord sa plano, itinutuloy pa rin natin dahil lang sa emosyon o guilt natin. They thought their guilt and sudden good intention could force God's hand. But God cannot be manipulated by our religious performance when our hearts are in rebellion.

Kaya nga sabi sa Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand."

Sometimes, your plan maybe so perfect in your eyes. Pwedeng napakaganda ng blueprint mo, wala namang butas, walang palya, and it seems successful in your thoughts. But if it is not the will of God for you? I'm sure, it will not work. Period. Maaaring magsimula siya nang maayos pero kung hindi si Lord ang pundasyon, guguho at guguho lang 'yan. God's sovereignty will always outlast human ambition.