Plan or Pray?

“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”-Proverbs 29:18

While meditating on this scripture the question came to me: What is the vision that saves the people?  In first Samuel chapter three, the scripture talks about the Word of the Lord being precious and they have “no open vision.”  The prophet Amos speaks of famine, and thirst, but not of bread or water but of the Word of God.  The Proverb says: “he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

Here we are at the start of another new year.   A convenient time to craft our strategies, plan, and vision casting for 2024.  Oftentimes this text “where there is no vision” is used to justify these efforts.  The Proverb says, “where there is no vision the people perish”, but it also says: “he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”  The vision that we need is the Word of God.  It is not my vision, or plan of action that the people need.  It is not another strategy or planning session.  It is the Word of God, and that which is born from the Word through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.  Herein is the great need of this year, to capture a vision from the Word.  For His Word is His will.  The Word of God will help me see into God’s will for my life and those with whom I can have influence for His glory.  In second Samuel fifteen, Absalom (the son of king David), proves to have ambition and influence.  He wanted to be king, but how to accomplish it?  His strategy was to steal the hearts of the men of Israel, and quietly subvert the king.  Absalom campaigned in this way until he had enough men at his side to overthrow the king.  He had a plan, ambition, and means to accomplish it.  One would say he had vision, not so.  There was no vision because he lacked wisdom when he moved against the will of God by moving against the anointed king David.  It is easy to look at things like ministries, businesses, and churches and see only external production.  See that they have grand growth plans and impressive achievements; then deduce that they must have vision.  Likewise, to look at those who are quietly engaged in prayer and waiting before God and wonder: “when are they going to do something?”.  To scoff and rail against them.  Claiming that they “have no vision.”  Let us take care how we judge one another, for Jesus said: “wisdom is justified of all her children.”  Let the anointing of God come on those who wait before Him, and the vision of the Lord be established in patience and righteousness.  The gospel is not something that can be promoted through policy, because it is wholly dependent on the person of the Holy Spirit.  A vision that will breathe life into the people is not born in a conference room, but an upper room.  The Word of the Lord comes to those who wait before Him and are obedient to His call.  God help us to unlearn much of what this world has taught us.  When the proactive pundits call for action, intentionality, and motion; may we answer with patiently seeking God with all our heart. 

Do you want to plan or pray?  It is easier to draft a “how to” plan, then to wait before God for months, for a word from God.  It is easier because every strategy we come up with will be born from a place of understanding, but a vision from God will be born from His understanding. This will take us deep into the unknown and force us to walk the walk of faith.  Requiring that we die to ourselves and be happy in his holy commandments.  However, we must pay this price and gain God’s vision at any cost, because without it the people perish; and there is no amount of policy, planning, or strategy that can save them.