The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.

Proverbs 21:31

For Meditation

 He sat through those endless nights of research and rewrites, putting those impeccable concepts and proposals together.

The favorable critical reviews grabbed the headlines after its publication. The funding will flow, and implementation will begin shortly. “I have it all together,” he congratulated himself.

He can’t wait for the Awards night – his name inscribed on the coveted certificate, the citation, his well-crafted speech, and the prestige that comes with the premier award.

Sweet dreams!

The limousine return ride to the hotel is quiet. The music, the party, the friends, and the morning newspaper headlines that would scream his achievements – all now only a dream.

Maybe he forgot something along the way. The plaque on the wall above his desk reminds him now about the many teenagers in his Sunday School class he has used this scripture to counsel.

“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord” (Prov. 21:31).

His wife gently whispers as they lay in a quiet hotel suite, staring at the ceiling. “Didn’t you forget something along the way to the Awards Night, darling?”

Please, pray for our friend, that he does not allow his disappointment to drag him down “Hardhearted Lane” where rebellion rules with destructive firmness. Pray that he, like every young and ambitious person, will never again allow the glitter and pull of this world to steal his heart from the Lordship of Christ Jesus, who alone gives the ability to produce wealth (Deut. 8:18).   

And while you are at it, pray for yourself that His mercy and grace will direct your thinking and give you a godly perspective for everything.

Shalom