Proverbs 29:18

            Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law. -ESV

You might have heard this somewhat famous verse in the King James Version of the Bible: Prov. 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish: But he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” The ESV is probably the better translation, but the KJV translation certainly paints a more memorable and starker statement: for lack of a “vision” the people “perish.” This would seem to suggest we need a vision in our lives lest we come to some real harm.

What kind of vision though? The visions we set out are often human contrivances. We make plans, we set grand goals, we speak confidently about the future (even though James warns us against such confidence, James 4:13-17). Like so many things in life, “vision” can become something plastic, trite, or meaningless. We string together catch phrases, slogans, and the like all with the hope that it will inspire and undergird our plans. Sometimes though, even if we see the value in looking forward, there is something in us that resists these plans and feels disconnected from these “visions.” There is something in us a Christians that yearns for something of real substance that is rooted in God’s will and ways.

The recipe for a good vision is already in the verse. We need a vision that is prophetic, that is, rooted in God’s revelation and word. Any plans we make, must stand firmly within God’s plan for his people. We have to understand his priorities not only for us, but for the world around us. At the very center of that priority is the proclamation of Jesus Christ and his good news for the whole world. Any vision we make must honor Christ as Lord and display his cross as the banner of salvation for us and for all the nations.

Likewise, the vision we need must be built out of God’s Law. God’s Law will always expose our sin and reveal our failings. Yet at the same time, God’s Law has another function to provide a vision of human flourishing. God’s word doesn’t just provide arbitrary rules and regulations; it is a guidebook to what is good, a warning against what is evil, it is a shepherd’s crook leading the sheep away from rocky terrain and towards good pastures. As Proverbs points out, to keep that Law is only to experience the happiness that comes forth from God’s blessing upon us.

Whatever vision we work on together this month, it must live firmly within God’s own priorities, concerns, and will. From that starting point, it is wholly appropriate to take stock of our resources, the gifts we have received as people, the needs of those in our church and the needs of our neighbors who desperately need God’s Gospel firmly in their lives. Whatever we settle on together is a small attempt to bring God’s kingdom, his rule and reign, into the center of our lives and push back the darkness of the world here in Wake Forest. We and our community need a vision of Christ that will transform us into people set apart and focused on Jesus at the center of all things.

My prayer for us at this time is that such a vision might help create a refreshed sense of excitement and unity among us at Hope. We are together brothers and sisters in one family of God, beloved children redeemed by Christ for his purposes. We are working together for a shared goal of service and proclamation of the Gospel to everyone around us. Whatever hurts there may be among us, I pray we would be tenderhearted and forgiving toward one another as we come together for God’s work.

Hoping that we firmly commit to a vision built on the foundation of Jesus,

Pastor Devin Murphy