The Last Word

It's a beautiful Sunday morning. Young leaves are on the trees of the forest across the street, creating a stippled-green aglow with sunlight. The lake is calm. Kellen spent a long afternoon cutting the lawn yesterday, and its beautiful in the golden sun.

I've been cleaning up and cooking breakfast and thinking how close to somewhere else and someone else I am. I'm one friend away, one job away, one decision away from Hollywood and/or prison. From being single for life. From never divorcing. From Zoe never being here.

I thought I was planning, that I was saying something. I thought I saw where this was going. But God has a plan and the last word.

From a study at Bible.org: (and forgive me, I am a sucker for people who translate in front of me)

Proverbs 16:1 The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

The overall emphasis of this verse is that man proposes (plans) but God disposes—the results are in His hands, His authority, His power—not ours.

“Plans” is the Hebrew m^u&r*K, which means “preparation.” The verb of this noun is a word of preparation, arranging, planning. It may mean to “arrange in order, to compare.” Though authorities disagree, the hiphil form may mean “to value, estimate.”

Our word, m^u&r~K occurs only here in Proverbs 16:1. It looks at the plans we make based on looking at all the issues, options, responsibilities, and consequences in order to compare them so we can choose the right course.

Our passage asserts this is a legitimate responsibility of man. Literally, “to man are (belong) the plans, preparations of the heart.” We are created in God’s image. God has given us minds and we are to use them wisely, but also submissively, recognizing God’s sovereign authority as the One who sits in the heavens.

So we read next, “But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” At first this does not seem to be related, but it is. The tongue is symbolic of our speech and acts by which we seek to carry out our plans. McGee says, “You may plan and I may plan or arrange things, but when the time comes to speak or act, God is the One who is going to have the last word. We may make a great boast, but only God can give the final answer.”¹ It is the Lord who ultimately establishes our plans and allows them to come to fruition.

The meaning of this verse is akin to verse 9, “The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” This emphasizes that God not only has the last word, but also the soundest and best. And He has the power and authority to do it.

Love Wins
by Robbie Seay Band

It’s a big world, we are hoping
For a big change, we are broken
In the fading light of a dying sun
We cry for redemption

There is hope, there is hope, there is hope
But everyone who’s lost will be coming home
And everything that hurts will be whole again
And love will be the last thing standing

Can’t stop, you can’t stop the seasons
Don’t stop, don’t stop believing
Keep on dreaming of the day when it all will change
Believe in the end, love wins
If you’re waiting for the time when your sun will shine
Oh, look above cause love wins

If it hurts you, just breathe in
When it pains you, just believe in
The radiant light of the morning sun
We can find our redemption

Love is strong, love is strong, love is strong
It's been there holding you all along
Everything thrown away will be new again
And love will be the last thing standing

There is hope, there is hope for my lonely soul
There is hope, there is hope to be made whole
There is life, there is life to be set free
There is life, there is life surrounding me

There is hope, there is hope for my broken heart
There is hope, there is hope for a brand new start
There is life, there is life give me eyes to see
There is life, there is life you have captured me