God's Life PlanChikamu

DAY ONE

My Life Plan by Bryan Craig

Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. Ecclesiastes 2:11

I’ve been dealing with death and people toward the end of their lives a lot lately. I’ve seen people of all ages taken quickly, without much warning. Some have had wealth, which had been a big focus for most of their life, yet in their hour of need, it doesn’t seem to provide comfort for the deep yearnings of their hearts. As people face death, they don’t seem too concerned with the balances in their investments. They are much more concerned with the relationships they’ve had on earth. They want to be loved. They want to know their life mattered. They want people to know that they love them. They think about their relationship with God.

King Solomon, who was King David’s son, was granted anything he desired from God, and he asked for wisdom. And God said, since he didn’t ask for riches, He would give him wisdom AND riches. (See 1 Kings 3:4-15) In Ecclesiastes, Solomon writes his thoughts about trying to find meaning in life through pleasure, wealth, projects, adventures, and fame, and in his final analysis, he deems “everything meaningless.” That is, everything the world has to offer is meaningless.

Those of us who are Christians, who have given our hearts to Christ and have His Spirit working in us, know this is true. Most of us have discovered that only God can fill the void in our souls that the world has never been able to fill. However, if we are honest, we still try to live by the world system. We still esteem those who have wealth, power, and fame. We still long for pleasures, adventures, and conquests.

I remember my early thoughts about life as I was leaving college and embarking upon life. This was the Bryan Craig Life Plan:

1. Get a college degree

2. Get a good job

3. Get married

4. Have kids

5. Get a house

6. Get a better job

7. Take at least one big vacation every year

8. Put my kids through college

9. Amass wealth

10. Retire early

11. Live a life of leisure, pleasure, contentment

It doesn’t sound evil or irresponsible, but over time, I’ve learned that though this seems like the American Dream, those that have been able to achieve a life like this still feel like something’s missing. King Solomon had all of this and MORE, and he says it is like a “striving after the wind”…these are things that can never really satisfy what we are really looking for.

Years ago, I visited a woman, Fay, at the hospital. She was a good Christian woman who had spent most of her latter years taking care of a sick husband. But she was private and not so gracious, very guarded. As I saw her at the end of her life, it was sad to see one bouquet of flowers by her bedside and not many visitors showing up. But right next to her was a roommate, Jenny. She, too, was at the end of her life, but I noticed at least 15 bouquets of flowers, many get well cards, and several pictures drawn by children all over her room. She was friendly and vivacious, and I noticed her ministering to Fay, trying to encourage her. And I saw her witnessing to the nurses. I could tell she had spent her life pouring into others, truly living a life of love. And I saw the fruit of it.

Oh, that the Lord would help me live my life in a way that honors Him, one that is full of love for others and that fills my soul with what it needs. As I’ve thought about this and sought the Lord on it, I’ve come up with a new life plan, God’s life plan. It consists of 5 S’s. Tomorrow, we will focus on the first “S”…SURRENDER.