What’s The Plan?

"If you fail to plan, you can plan to fail," someone once said.

Sir John Harvey-Jones wrote: "Planning is an unnatural process; it is much more fun to do something. The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise, rather than being preceded by a period of worry and depression." As I open my devotions in the morning with the Lord, one thing that I thank God for is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ which makes my time of devotion with Him possible. I like to periodically read Hebrews 10: 19-25 back to the Lord. I know He wrote that and is well aware of it, but just the same I am moved by the fact that Jesus provided access to the Father for me by his own blood. Also, in that familiar passage is the admonition to each of us to “... consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” (Hebrews 10:24 ESV) As I called my Adult Bible Class to order this past Lord’s Day, I asked the class, “how can we do this, what do we do this morning as we meet together to stir up one another to love and good works?” Quite frankly I was amazed. The class did not know how to respond. In other words there were no suggestions offered that would instruct and encourage each of us to be obedient to this scripture. It dawned on me that if we don’t talk about and develop plans to stir one another up, we won’t. I write this not to embarrass my class but to point out if we don’t determine goals, develop a plan, and work that plan (with a willingness to reevaluate and with a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit) we will fail to be obedient to the many admonitions to help, serve, love, support, teach, admonish, build up, edify, encourage, and/or rebuke the body of Christ. Needless to say, I am in the process of drawing up some specific and concrete things that we can do as we gather together in order to be obedient to this scriptural mandate. I am hoping we can plan ways of stirring up one another rather than planning on failing because we have no idea at all how to accomplish this goal.

What do you think?