Plan, Proposal, then Immanuel

[S] Isaiah 8:9-10 --
⁹"Be broken, O peoples, and be shattered;
And give ear, all remote places of the earth.
Gird yourselves, yet be shattered;
Gird yourselves, yet be shattered.
¹⁰"Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted;
State a proposal, but it will not stand,
For God is with us."

[O] The last line is the key point here -- God with us (Immanuel) is the most important factor in what we do, not our plans or proposals. Even if we prepare ourselves for the worst case (gird ourselves) we will face even worse situations because we are limited to our own strengths regardless how advanced we may feel we have come. It is so easy to do this in carrying out minisitries at churches because the purpose for these ministries are to fulfill His commands (i.e., good causes) and yet we can easily fall into mode of doing it ourselves leaving out God (not immanuel).

[A] Immanuel, God with us. This is the concept I should never forget especially doing God's ministry.

[P] Dear God, thank You for coming to us to be with us because without that all that we do are in vain. I want to live out such a life displaying that Your being with me carries the power in life. In Jesus' name. Amen.