If The Lord Wills

 

A store manager overheard a clerk saying to a customer, “No, ma’am, we haven’t had any for some weeks now, and it doesn’t look as if we’ll be getting any soon.” Alarmed, the manage rushed over to the customer who was walking out the door and said, “That isn’t true, ma’am. Of course we’ll have some soon. In fact, we placed an order for it a couple of weeks ago.” Then the manager drew the clerk aside and growled, “Never, never, never say we don’t have something! If we don’t have it, say we ordered it and it’s on the way. Now, what was it she wanted?” “Rain,” replied the clerk. As much as we’d like to think we can provide everything that others might need, truth is we cannot. There are some things that only God can provide.

[James 4:13-17] “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we should live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

Notice the progression in planning: First, they plan a trip today or tomorrow – “Today or tomorrow we will go…” Second, they plan to arrive at a certain destination – “…go to such and such a city…” Third, they plan to spend a certain amount of time at their destination – “…and spend a year there…” Forth, they plan to engage in and carry through a plan of action while they are in that city – “…buy and sell…” Fifth, they plan for their business to have certain results – “…and make a profit.”

Is there harm in planning? Is there harm in intending to go places and once arriving doing things? NO! The point James is making is to go ahead and plan but do so having a realistic view of life and of God. “Why you don’t even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we should live and do this or that.”

A man is walking past a farmer's field with a cow tied to a rope. The farmer says, “Hey, mister, where you are going with that cow?” The man replies, “I’m taking it to town to sell it.” The farmer says, “You mean if it’s the Lord’s will you are.” The man says, “Well, it’s my cow and I reckon I can do anything I want with it. It ain’t any of the Lord’s business!” A short time later the farmer looks up from his work. He sees the man coming back from town – bloody and beaten up. “What happened to you?” the farmer asks. “Well, just down the road three guys jumped out of the bushes, beat me up, stole my cow and left me for dead.” The farmer says, “Oh no! What are you going to do now?” To this the man replied, “I’m going home to clean up – if it’s the Lord’s will.” The harsh reality is that life, in all its blessings and beauty, is uncertain. We do not know what will happen tomorrow, and each one of our lives is a vanishing vapor. Here today…gone tomorrow (gone today).

So, make plans. Set Goals. But remember that you were not placed on this planet simply to go shopping at Walmart, dining at Applebee’s, or walking/jogging at the Civic Center. You were placed on planet earth that, when you do these things, you do them with a realistic view of life and a realistic view of God. If it is the Lord’s will, we will do this or that every moment of our life. We never know when our life on earth will end.

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:16). Are you ready to meet God?