A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.…There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.…A man’s steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way?
(Proverbs 16:9, 19:21, 20:24)
I can hardly believe I’m writing this devotion. I’m a bad person to write it because I hate being interrupted. But even practically speaking, I can’t believe I’m writing at all! I’ve sat down at least a dozen times over the past week to write this very devotion, but have been prevented from it, again and again, due to the needs (and intense wants) of little people in my home.
Every mom knows what it’s like to have her plans interrupted. It happens so often, it’s actually astounding that we even make plans anymore! But, whatever we might expect from this day, this hour, this moment, God has known from eternity what it would truly hold. It’s no surprise for Him. He has prepared, in advance, a good work for us to do: serving our closest neighbor, His children, just as He has served us. When we lose our life (or plans!) for Him, we find what He prepared for us all along (Mark 8:35). Despite any difficult or strenuous change of plans, cling to your Savior and His Word.
“Who seeks to save on earth his life
Without Me, he shall lose it:
But who for Me in earthly strife
Now loses it shall find it;
Who counts the cross for Me too hard
Is worthy not of Me, the Lord.”
Then let us follow Christ, our Lord,
And take the cross appointed
And, firmly clinging to His Word,
In suff’ring be undaunted.
For all who bear the battle’s strain
The crown of life they shall obtain.” (ELH 422:5, 6)
For Further Reading: Proverbs 16, 19, and 20; Luke 9:23–25
Excerpted from Meditations on the Vocation of Motherhood, vol. 1: Old Testament (2018), by permission of the author.
Mrs. Marie K. MacPherson lives in Mankato, Minnesota, with her husband Ryan and their children, whom she homeschools. She is a certified Classical Lutheran Educator (Consortium for Classical Lutheran Educators), author of Meditations on the Vocation of Motherhood (2018), and editor of Mothering Many: Sanity-Saving Strategies from Moms of Four or More (2016).
