The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.” ~Genesis 11:6 (NIV)
It didn’t take long after the flood for pride to resurface in the hearts of mankind. In Genesis 11:4 we read their plan, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” (NIV) The modern term for their plan would be “corporate self-assertion” and it’s seen all over the world today. Most self-assertion is fear driven and when you get a room full of scared people who are not trusting God with their lives there is no telling what kind of toxic plan they will come up with. But you can be sure that it is going to benefit themselves first and foremost. We see that in the political realms every day. From leaders of our nation to leaders of our homeowner’s associations there are those who abuse the power and authority that have been entrusted to them for both self-assertion and self-preservation. They trust more in their abilities within their position than they trust in their God, or they would not defile themselves in that manner. Trusting God with our lives and our future is no easy way to live. Living by faith can be very difficult with just our limited perspective because we must be patient, persevere and endure, but it is doable. We are called to put others first and live a life serving instead of looking to be served or making a name for ourselves. What causes us to stumble for the most part is when we get into agreement with others that we need to be the ones to make happen what we should be receiving our positions and provisions from God by faith, or we get restless and come to feel like we need to step in and help God out. Even worse than that, we come up with self-serving plans that we attribute to being the Lord’s plan for us. Jesus said He came to serve not be served and we are to follow in His footsteps.
God recognized the power of unity in Genesis 11:6 and He even goes as far as to say nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. There are spiritual laws set in place from the foundation of this world. One of them is mankind’s ability to speak which separates him from the birds and the fish and all the animals God has created. In Job 22:28 the Lord tells us “You will also decree a thing, and it will be established.” (NIV) When we make up our mind to do something and we make our words line up with our prayers and our plans, we can move mountains by our faith. But we must remember to seek the counsel of God in every endeavor. Sure, we are capable of building, but are we capable of maintaining what we have built? Much of what’s being built today is falling apart just as rapidly as it is being built and there is a reason for that. Scripture teaches us in Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.” (NIV) The best laid plans fail unless the Lord crowns them with success. Make God a partner in all your decisions and your work will not only succeed, but last throughout the generations.
I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. ~Genesis 17:7 (NIV)
What current decisions are you struggling to make God a partner in?
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