Sunday
This week we will reflect on God’s sovereignty, and we will practice surrendering our plans before him in trusting submission. God calls each of us to lay our life before his throne, believing in his perfect plan. God cares about our efforts and rewards them, for he is the source of all good things. His plans prevail, and his plans are good. Yielding to those plans is the starting point to leaving a lasting legacy that will reflect the beauty, the grace, and the glory of the One who enables you to act to shape the Church and the world for good.
As you celebrate the Eucharist this Sunday, bring your plans into the church building and lay them down before the altar. As you listen to the readings, be mindful of the story of salvation and how, from the very beginning, God has been working all things out to the good. Thank him that you have been included in his plan of salvation and made a part of his Church. Consider how God’s plan has unfolded in your life and how your life is a reflection of the great love of Jesus, who died on the cross for your sins. As you receive the Eucharist, let the wonderful truth that God loves you that much sink deeply into your soul. Reflect on where you think your life is going and what plans you believe God still has for you. Thank him for his love and promise him that you will continue to live your life in trust, submission, and joy.
Questions for reflection
Do you find it difficult to yield to God’s plans? What are the parts of your life where this is hardest for you?
What practical steps can you take this week to start living in total surrender to God’s perfect, loving will?
Praying with Scripture
“Commit your work to the Lord, / and your plans will be established” (Prv 16:3).
Monday
God Cares about Our Efforts and Rewards Them
Then the King will say to those at his right hand, “Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.”
Matthew 25:34–40
God wants us to lay up our treasures in heaven (cf. Mt 6:20). We must be careful, then, about how we build upon the foundation he has laid in our lives, working out our salvation with fear and trembling (cf. Phil 2:12). God allows our efforts to produce real fruit in our lives and in the lives of those who come after us. In the end, his cleansing fire will reveal what that fruit has been (cf. 1 Cor 3:13), and we will receive God’s reward for our efforts.
What we do matters, not only because God allows our actions to have an impact on the world, but because as Christians we are called to do all for his glory. The deeds we do on earth determine the reward we will receive from God. Let us remember that our service — especially to the least in God’s kingdom — also leaves a legacy for future generations.
Questions for reflection
Are you laying up your treasure in heaven, or are you sometimes tempted to plan only for the needs of this life?
How are you connecting your works of mercy with God’s overall plan for your life?
Where have you seen your labors produce real fruit in the life of someone else?
Praying with Scripture
“Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ” (Col 3:23–24).
Tuesday
God Is the Power That Binds All Things Together
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and get gain”; whereas you do not know about tomorrow. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and we shall do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
James 4:13–16
God is God and we are not. This means our plans must give way to the perfection of his will. We often believe that we have total control over our lives and that everything is up to us. While we can and should make important decisions about our lives, we must accept that we are dependent on the Lord for our next breath. God is truly the author and perfecter of our faith (cf. Heb 12:2). Our lives and our plans are completely in his hands.
By recognizing that God is the source of all we do, we align our actions to his will. This brings us great freedom from worry and enables us to move forward, trusting in his sovereign care for our lives. It gives us confidence, strength, and purpose in all we do, allowing us to respond to his commands with joy and hope for the future. We know that our lasting legacy is in heaven, not here on earth.
Questions for reflection
Is it hard for you to relinquish control of your life? What are some of the areas where this is hardest for you, and why?
Has there been a time in your life when yielding to God’s will brought you prosperity and peace?
What are some upcoming decisions in your life that you need to give over to God’s care?
Praying with Scripture
“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col 1:17).
Wednesday
God Directs All Things for Good
For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:11–13
Just as God spoke peace into the life of the prophet Jeremiah, so too does he assure us of his perfect care for every detail of our existence. We can remain hopeful about the future, whatever it might hold. Ultimately, God has the greatest good in store for us: the glory of his eternal presence
It can be easy to forget, as we get caught up in our own plans, that God has a plan, and his plan includes us. We can trust absolutely in the goodness of God’s design. Those of us who are fathers have seen the trust that our children have in us. They are willing to follow our direction and learn from us because they know we love them and have their best interests at heart. In the same way, we must respond to God the Father like little children, each day taking new steps toward the goals our heavenly Father has set for us. Let us take those steps with joy, knowing our Father is directing all things to the good for those of us who love him (cf. Rom 8:28).
Questions for reflection
What parts of your life are you still trying to handle on your own?
How has your relationship with God shaped your decisions about the future?
This week, how can you help a brother who struggles to trust in God’s good plans?
Praying with Scripture
“A man’s mind plans his way, / but the Lord