Jump Start # 3355

James 4:13 “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city; and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.”

Come now, is how our verse today begins. James will begin the next chapter with those same words, “Come now.” In our times, we might find James saying, “Come on, Man.” And, what follows in our verse is something that we can easily get tripped up on. It’s making plans as if we know exactly what will happen. We will…we will got to a city. We will spend a year there. We will engage in business. We will make a profit. We will do this. James would later say in this context, “you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’”

Let’s put some thought to this:

First, the “if the Lord wills,” are not magical words that suddenly makes everything right. This is about faith. This is about understanding our position. This is about realizing that God is upon the throne. Notice the absoluteness found in our verse today. We WILL. Really? How do you know you will? How can you be so certain? How many people go into business with that idea and model. Why sell donuts? Why sell houses? Why make a product? It is to make a profit. Yet, how many business fail. How many do not make it. James is quoting people as if they knew exactly what was going to happen. Yet, you do not know the weather. You do not know about wars. You do not even know about tomorrow. The only absolute is that you don’t know.

Second, God has a will. Part of that will is an appointment each of us has with death. Only God knows when that appointment will be. Spending a year in another city, implies that they knew they were going to be alive, healthy and in a position to engage in business. So many factors were being taken for granted. So many things they did not know or understand.

For Stephen in Acts 7, his plans might have included going to another city to preach. He may have thought, next year, I’ll be preaching on this. Before the sermon ended, so did his life. Only the Lord knows what tomorrow will be.

Now, this could keep some from making any plans. We just don’t know, a person says. That is not what James is saying. The farmer who plants, anticipates a harvest in the fall. Churches need to make plans about the future. But running through all of this is that God is ultimately in charge. Our plans may change. Our plans may get derailed. Our plans may not get off the ground. Make plans, but understand, only God knows tomorrow.

Third, when I live according to the will of God, I understand what happens will be for the best. What if God did not will a profit for those people in our verse? What if God did not will for those people to go to another city? Some may be heartbroken. Some may even get mad. Some may be disappointed. Some may feel cheated. We had plans, they would say, but it didn’t come about. Rather, knowing God has a will, He may have other ideas for you. Your Plan A may not be God’s Plan A. What God has in mind for you, may not even be on your list. God knows best.

When that prodigal left home with a pocket full of money, his plans were to have a good time. Fun was on his list. He never dreamed of running out of money. He never thought of a famine. He would have never expected to want what pigs were eating. But when the bottom dropped out, his heart turned and he came back home. That’s what the father wanted.

We make plans all the time. Our schedules are full. We are busy people. This week. This month. The holidays. Next year. We have things filling those days. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Just write your appointments in pencil. God is the one who uses ink. Plans change. Sometimes we don’t understand. Often, looking back, it was for the better.

Come now…great reminder for busy days.

Roger

Jump Start # 2889

James 4:13 “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.”

All of us are faced with three realms: yesterday, today and tomorrow. Those three interest often and what happens in one can color the others, especially the future. Some have trouble dealing with these three realms. Some live in the past. They can’t let go and move on. Grief will do that. One can spend the day just looking at old photos and longing for days that will never come back. Kids grown, moved out and living on their own, that’s hard for some parents.

But others live only for today. They are in the moment. They give no thought to yesterday. No lessons learned. No perspective and no observations. Likewise, they give little thought to tomorrow. This is especially true financially. Paycheck to paycheck is how some live. Saving, investing and living with a budget seems boring. And, worse, many do this spiritually. They live for the moment. No thought given to the consequences of their choices. No thought about Jesus. No consideration about eternity, Heaven or Hell. It’s all now. It’s all fun and good times. Life on the beach looks great until the storms come. And, those who have built upon that foundation of sand experience the pain of their world collapsing around them.

Yet, there are still others who live for tomorrow. They don’t like the season that they are in and they can’t wait until a better period of their lives. They can’t wait to finish school. They can’t wait to get married. They can’t wait to have children. They can’t wait to have their own home. Then, they can’t wait until the kids are in school. Then, it’s the kids old enough to take care of themselves. Then, it’s the weddings. Then, the grandkids. Then they can’t wait until retirement. Always looking ahead and much too often, never enjoying the moment that they are in.

In our verse today there are three bold pronouncements made:

First, we will go to a city. They were not in the city, but that was in their plans. This is what we will do. We will do this tomorrow.

Second, we will spend a year in that city. That’s a long time. If they did not live in that city, what about their place back home? Where would they stay in the city? Who would take care of them?

Third, we will not only engage in a business, but we will be successful. Every small businessman begins with that dream. No one starts off with a business model of filing bankruptcy. We will do well is what they are thinking.

The following verse puts all of this into the proper perspective. There the passage says, “Yet, you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.” Not only do you not know what your life will be like, you do not know what the weather will be like, you do not know what the economic climate will be like, you do not know how travel will be, you do not even know if it will be safe to be in that city tomorrow. The truth is, we don’t really know anything about tomorrow. We make assumptions based upon today.

Today we feel well. Today we can pack our bags and prepare to go to the city. Today we have ideas about business and how to make a profit. But, tomorrow may not be like today. Tomorrow may be very different. That city could be under attack.

Instead, the text continues, we ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” Life is not promised. Peaceful times are not promised. Prosperity is not promised. God is the Lord of Heaven and earth and our lives are in His hands. The cemeteries are full of people who had plans for tomorrow. There were things that they had wanted to do, but they did not realize what their lives would be like tomorrow.

Some thoughts:

First, we must make the most of each day, because one day, will be our last day. Living in the past and living in tomorrow will make us miss today. We can put off things believing that we can get to them later. For some, there is no later. Do you need to get things right with the Lord? When are you planning on doing that? Are there things you want to do for the kingdom? When?

Second, we need to make plans, but realize that our plans are not written in ink, but pencil. So many variables and factors can change what happens tomorrow. But without plans, we drift. Without plans we do not help our families, nor our congregations. What’s the legacy plan? Who will be the next shepherds? What will happen if you are not there? Business plans. Spiritual plans. Family plans. Congregational plans. Make them, but realize God has the final say.

Third, keep God in your plans. Keep God in your conversations. Keep God in this day. It will make such a difference to live as if the Lord is right beside you. You will pray more. You will shape your decisions around the Lord more. God with you today. God with you tomorrow. God with you forever. That’s the idea.

Fourth, understand that we are not here very long. My sweet dad lived to be 95. We call that old. Yet, going to Israel and seeing things that date back to the B.C. period reminds me that 95 really isn’t that old. We are not here very long. Time is important. Paul told the Ephesians to make the most of it. Use time wisely. Make a difference. Leave footprints for others. We will be on the other side much, much longer than we will be on this side of life. Don’t let little things bother you. In time, they do not matter. Don’t lose sight of the eternal.

Yesterday…today…tomorrow. Three realms. God is in all of them.

Roger