Fri/Sat/Sun—August 25–27•Steps Directed by God FOR YOUR SMALL GROUP August 21–28 Make a list of men who display faith, determination and planning. ■ How are those attributes displayed? ■ How do those attributes affect their lives? A person’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand their own way? (Proverbs 20:24) I had pestered my wife for about 10 years because I really wanted to live on the water. At one point, we agreed we would wait about two more years, allowing our children to finish high school, and then we could move. About the time we made that agreement, I was taking a shortcut to my house when I saw a sign: “Lake Front Property for Sale.” I wasn’t considering buying it, but I mentioned it to Patsy that evening, and we looked at it together. My usually deliberate wife said, “Let’s buy it.” I made an agreement with the seller, and we shook hands on it. A couple of hours later, my phone rang. “Pat,” the seller said, “this man asked if I ever wanted to sell the lot, would I see if he could buy it. After I left you, I called him, and he wants the lot. I feel duty bound to you, so if you give me $10,000 more than he will give me, it’s yours.” I knew my plans were protected by God’s plans. If the sale fell through, it was because this wasn’t the best plan for me. And if we did purchase the property, it would mean my plan was aligned with God’s. After chatting with the seller for a while, I said, “If this is God’s sovereign plan for us to have this lot, then there is nothing you or I can do to prevent that from happening. If it’s not His plan, then no amount of my begging will make a difference. So do what you need to do.” The man paused about 20 seconds, and he said, “Okay—since you put it that way, you can have the lot.” Not all circumstances work out that way. But if we hold tightly to God and loosely to stuff, we can trust God to align our plans with His, so that He is directing our steps. MIMBS 6 Are you confident that your steps are directed by God? How does that trust (or lack of trust) affect you when your plans succeed? How does it affect you when your plans fail? Daily Reading: Job 16:1–27:23, 1 Corinthians 16:1–24, 2 Corinthians 1:1–2:211, Psalm 40:1–41:13, Proverbs 22:1–6 42
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