Saturday, September 17
My plans and God’s
Scripture: Isaiah 33-34, Psalm 108, James 4
James 4:13–16 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.
Observation
James is reminding us of our size. We get full of ourselves, and think that we’re bigger than we are—we used to say, “You’re too big for your britches.” We think that we’re in charge, but we’re not.
Proverbs 16:9 The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.
Is it wrong to make plans? Of course not! We have to make plans. James is simply reminding us that in the end, God decides, so we would do well to humbly acknowledge that. “If the Lord wills, we’ll live and do this or that.” Make your plans…humbly.
Application
I just finished reading From Strength to Strength, by Arthur C. Brooks. It’s about how to live successfully in the second half of life, and it begins with research on our inevitable (and sooner than we think) decline. Like all these books, we’re told to decide what’s important (hint: it’s not success at work or money) and give ourselves to that. Summary: Use things; love people; worship God.
I also just talked with a friend who surprised us all and retired 3 years early—after reading this book! He realized there was a lot he wanted to do and he’s able to do it now, and isn’t guaranteed that he’ll be able to in 3 years. It’s go-go time! (We’ve been talking about the idea that our last lap has three stages: go-go, slow-go, no-go.)
And today I’m officiating at a memorial service for a wonderful 65 year old man who died quickly of cancer. Another reminder that “you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
Morbid? Nope. Realistic? Yep.
So make your plans for today, tomorrow, this month, this year and beyond. But make them with your own smallness and mortality firmly in view, and submit them to the Lord. “If the Lord wills…”
Prayer: Lord, You know my plans…and I don’t know Yours. So I make my plans and lay them at Your feet. Help me to live today—each moment—as a gift from You. Help me do Your will.