More plans

Proverbs 19:21

The key word or idea in this verse is "plans" (or "purpose"). This is an example of Hebrew poetry/wisdom where the author makes a statement in the first line and either expands on or contrasts it in the second line. In this case it is a contrast between the plans a human makes and the prevailing purpose of the Lord. The essence is that God's plans always prevail over the plans of humans.
Right away, this brings to mind the proverb that states: there is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death (Prov 14:12). It also brings to mind Jesus' metaphor of the wide gate and narrow gate in Matthew 7. The wide gate and wide road seem more attractive but it ends in destruction. The small gate and narrow road seems more difficult but it leads to life.
Here's what I learn from this passage:
1) There is a higher plan than my own and that plan will always prevail over my own plans because God is sovereign. Even if God's plan seems foolish, it is wiser and higher than my own plan. God's plan of salvation seems foolish: that we would not work our way to salvation but that he would pay the price for salvation so we could receive it freely. However, it is the wisest plan possible in that we, who are weak, crippled, blind, lame and poor, could never do enough to earn salvation. We are dependent on God's wonderful plan of grace and redemption.
2) I must be sure that I am not relying on my own plan and my own wisdom for salvation. I recognize these tendencies in myself and so I must be very careful to remember always that it is only and completely by the grace of God that I am saved.
3) Every day in many different ways, I have the opportunity to choose God's way or the way that seems right. I must constantly make the choice between choosing what looks easy and what is right.
4) In all the planning I do, I must remember that God is above it all. I must not allow myself to become so rigid in my planning that I leave no room for God's agenda or get terribly upset when God upsets my plan with his own.
5) I have great hope that the evil plans of many humans in this world will not succeed - it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

signed, sealed and delivered...

Ephesians 1:11-14

The idea of being chosen or predestined comes up again in this section. The list of things we have in (or by or through) Christ is added to: chosen in him, hope in him, included in him, marked in him.
Paul's main point is that God had a plan from the beginning of time and that plan included the salvation of those whom he predistined. The purpose God has is to bring glory to himself. One of the primary ways he is doing that is by including people in Christ and then sealing them by the HOly Spirit for eternity.
The plan of God is to bring glory to himself. He does that through saving me and keeping me (I can't be lost). This means that my purpose in life is to bring glory to God - my life is for the praise of his glory. I need to evaluate every word, thought and action in light of this plan. The chief end of humanity is to glorify God by enjoying him forever...

i love it when a plan comes together...

Romans 15:7-13

Observe:
Key words: Accept, praise/glorify God, Gentiles
Comparisons: accept each other as Christ has accepted us

Interpret:
Paul is transitioning from looking out for the weaker brother to the master plan of God. As Christ has accepted us (with grace, not by merit, etc.) we should accept each other. This seems to remind Paul of the controversy between Jew and Gentile and so he proves that God's intent was always to bring th Gentiles in to his blessing - that through the nation of Israel, the rest of the world was to be blessed and brought to a relationship with God. An OT understanding (simplified) would be that as Israel followed God's law they would be blessed in such a way that it would capture the attention of the surrounding nations and they would turn from their gods to the true God and therefore enter into the relationship and blessing of God. However, looking back on history, we see God's plan come together in ways that were not expected: he blessed the Gentiles through Jesus (a Jew and also His Son).

Apply:
The last verse strikes me. If I want to impact my world with the hope of God, I need to rely on the Holy Spirit, trust God and allow him to fill me with his joy and peace. Then hope will flow out of me. This means that times like this - meditating on and studying God's Word - are essential to the impact that I will have. This means that my prayer time and my times of quietness and communion are essential to the impact I will have. This means that the impact that I have is not my impact but the impact of the Holy Spirit as I allow him to fill me and work through me. My job is to make space for Christ.

Calling

Romans 1:1-6

Paul is very certain of his calling to be an apostle, specifically called to preach the gospel of God. The hint of the gospel is seen as far back as the OT prophets and speaks about Christ - an earthly decendent of David - who was God's Son as evidences by his resurrection from the dead. It is in/under the authority of Christ that Paul now calls Gentiles to faith and obedience in Christ.
The plan of redemption was not a last minute reaction but was foundational to God's vision for humans. Christ's death did not take him by surprise and at no point did God have to improvise a "solution" to the "disaster." Even Paul's use of the word calling indicates that he is very aware of the sovereign plan of God in everything that is happening. He is called, as a part of God's plan, to call people (specifically the Gentiles) to respond to God's plan.
This echoes what Joanne shared with the staff this morning: where I am is the only place I can be in this moment and therefore it is the place I have been ordained to be. My role is to make the most of that opportunity (or calling, to use Paul's word). Even then, it is not me and my strength but as I rely on the teaching, guiding and reminding of the Holy Spirit.