Who is Making Your Plans?

John 6:14-15

After Jesus fed the multitude of 5000 plus people, the crowd was amazed at the miracle. They were so amazed that they thought Jesus must be the prophet they had been awaiting. After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”  Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. (John 6:14-15)

The people were not looking at Jesus for who He was, but rather they saw what He was capable of and wanted Him to fulfill their own expectations. They wanted to force Him to be king. He already was King, but because He didn’t fit their idea of a king they could not see it. Jesus didn’t hang around and try to argue with them or convince them of His ideas; scripture simply says that He withdrew from them. Jesus would not allow them to deter Him from God’s plan for His life. No matter what the crowd thought or wanted, Jesus was not willing to conform to their desires, so much so, that He felt the need to withdraw from them so that He could continue down the path that God intended for Him rather than meet the unrealistic expectations of a people who truly did not understand His purpose.

Even today, Jesus does not force His will on us, nor does He allow us to force our will on Him. He has a plan and a purpose for our lives and His desire is for us to join with Him and follow after Him rather than expecting Him to meet and bless our plans. Consider the words of the Lord in the book of Isaiah, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

The prophet Isaiah spoke not only of God’s greatness, but also asked the question, “Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor?” (Isaiah 40:13) Surely, no human being living, dead or yet to be born can instruct the Lord!  He is the Creator of the universe, the Alpha and Omega, and we belong to Him, not the other way around.

So how do you approach God? Do you make your plans and ask Him to bless them? Do you get frustrated or maybe even angry when things don’t work out the way you think they should? Do you feel like God has abandoned you? Have you tried seeking Him for His will for your life? Do you think it would make difference if you were following after Him rather than expecting Him to follow after you? May we all seek God and His ways just as King David who put his hope and trust in God.

Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4-5