April 13, 2019 -- James 4:13-17 -- What Tomorrow Brings

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.  Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”  As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.  So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James 4:13-17 ESV

The reality of these words was driven home to me this week. Let me explain. On Tuesday my dad turned 87. I had plans to visit go to work Monday and on Tuesday visit him and celebrate with family members. Monday I was feeling unwell. I could have gone to work, but took the day off. I slept much of the day. Thankfully Tuesday I was fine. The reasoning behind staying home from work: so that I would not bring any sickness to my dad’s party. Friday I was going to travel to Ottawa and visit with some good friends. Wednesday night our daughter-in-law’s father had heart issues and went to the hospital. Thursday evening it was arranged I babysit my granddaughters all day Friday while my son and daughter-in-law sorted things out with her dad. Carolyn and I were planning some things for June—my new job offer which is being worked out with Redemption Prison Ministry could not answer some of our questions until April 23rd, when the Board meets to determine start dates. So my plans for my current job, my future job and where I’ll live are now all in the hands of this Board. It is an odd holding pattern for us now as we wait for others to answer our questions before we can answer the questions of family and friends.

In one week what was so graphically communicated is: our lives are not our own. A virus about 120 nanometers in size can stop the plans of a day or week. Things happening in the lives of others affect our plans. Our future home and where it will be located are in the hands of others. All of this could be so disorienting and frightening or, as James puts it, “we ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will do this or that’.” Here is the great assurance of this week: the Lord, the God of our salvation, rules all the events of our lives. What happens in any and all circumstances are not outside of God’s control or His loving, purposeful, direction for our lives.

Believers can be patient in affliction, because we know God is in charge. Believers can rejoice in any circumstance, knowing Jesus Christ is our Savior and in life or should death touch us, we belong to God because of Jesus. The Spirit of God brings to us the reality of our smallness, our helplessness, and how loved we are by God so that we are inspired to serve God all the more with hope and confidence.

James concludes this brief paragraph urging believers to carry out, do, the right thing because failing to do so is sin. Our lives, however long or short, belong to God. Our lives, in joy or sorrow, sickness or health, riches or poverty truly belong to God and we do not know how long we have on this earth—such a thought is not gloomy for the Christian, but filled with hope. We will see Jesus face to face! When we breathe our final breath our new life in Christ will finally, fully be realized.

Therefore, as long as we can serve Him with our body, our mind, our strength, and heart here on earth we do so because He is preparing for us the weight of glory that is partially ours now and in eternity will be fully revealed. And woven into every piece of this glory is the awareness that Jesus Christ has lifted us from death to life; Jesus Christ has by His blood purged sin from us and given us His Spirit as the deposit guaranteeing our salvation. Therefore we act, in every day and each moment with our eyes fixed on Jesus, our lives truly are a mist that could quickly vanish and reveal eternity. Therefore we confess our sins and our weaknesses, our vacillating and confusion to Him knowing He will hold us fast and work out His salvation in every area of our lives.

How blessed is Your Name, the Name You have revealed to Your people: LORD—Who Was, Who Is, Who Will Be! Every single moment of our lives is before You and Your faithful love for Your children in Christ unfolds according to Your plan, for our good, and unto Your praise. Teach Your people the joy of worship; by Your Spirit help us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Instruct us by Your Spirit and Word that at Your right hand are eternal pleasures forever more so that living for You is our goal and our life’s aim. For those among us feeling battered by providence and wounded by circumstances, remind us that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness. Thank You Jesus, for reminding us that nothing can snatch us out of our Father’s hand. Let that truth soak into the very marrow of our being. Amen.