“A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water, But a man of understanding draws it out.” —Proverbs 20:5
The Hebrew word for plan in the above verse is etseh, it means “a God-placed purpose, design.” Every person has this God-placed purpose buried deep in their heart. Psalm 139 says that God knew us before we were even conceived and our days were ordained (planned). We aren’t random. No matter what the circumstances of our birth and conception, each one of us is a pre-planned creation of God with purpose and destiny written in our hearts.
Proverbs 20:5 says that if we want to discover that plan WE have to draw it out. The Hebrew word for draw in this verse is also used for drawing water out of a well.
Now compare Proverbs 20:5 to Proverbs 19:21:
“Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand.”
Here, the word for plans is machashabah; it means “thoughts, imaginations, and intentions.” These are also in a man’s heart but are the thoughts and plans of man. The word for counsel in the above verse is the same word etseh in Proverbs 20:5. In other words, man’s own thoughts and plans are many but it is the “God-placed purpose and design” in the heart of man that will stand (Hebrew word quwm – to arise, come on the scene, endure, be fulfilled, established).
God’s plan is in our heart but we have to go in there and draw it out. God wouldn’t tell us to do it if it couldn’t be done. The way to discover that plan is spend time with the plan maker. Meditating on His Word (it is the plan book after all) and in what Jesus called “the prayer closet,” that place where just you and God hang out together. It’s His intention that we actually figure this out but like a treasure, He expects us to dig for it. Start digging!
(originally published 4/26/13)