Man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. The same is true for his time and how he uses it. Why is this true? It is because God has sovereign rule over both. Solomon observes, “The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps” (Prv 16:9). In today’s devotional, James endeavors to confront an attitude that can operate unnoticed in the life of Christian. Making plans without thought of God is a slippery slope to developing the living habits of agnostics and atheists. If we are not careful, we can subtly slip into a mindset that we are the master planners of our lives. James challenges this way of thinking, “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” (v13). This is a classic example of charting our own course in life as if God does not exist. When we live in this way, we fail to consider and acknowledge God’s will (and our submission to it).
James warns that this way of living is futile. How can we make plans for the future with certainty without consulting a God who holds our lives in his hands? Thus, he continues, “…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” (v14). James offers the remedy to this type of sin, “Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that?” (v15). What does following James instruction look like in daily life?
- Seek God’s will in all things. There is absolutely nothing wrong with making plans and pondering the future of one’s life. The key is this: the answer to both of these things is in God’s hands. It is wise that we always seek Him in prayer for His will. Such consideration is an act of submission. We are to pray without ceasing and make all our requests known to God.
- Submit to God’s will revealed to us. Jesus is an excellent model of this truth in his final prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane before was to be arrested, tried, and crucified. We sought his Father in prayer. He asked if there was any other way the redemption of humanity could be achieved without his crucifixion to come. Though he ponders his own plan for the future, he seek his Father and submits to his plan, thus he says, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Lk 22:42). James exhortation harmonizes with the character of Christ when instructs the church, “Instead, your ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that'” (v15).
As a Christian, your life is not your own. You were bought at a price for the purposes that God will reign and rule through you for HIS glory (1 Cor 6:20). To seek God in all things is to acknowledge His sovereignty that transcends our own human lives. In humility we consider Him always as it concerns our present and future as our Lord and Master of all that we are. Remember, He is the architect of our lives and we should daily seek his designs for us. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25).
Blessings,
Dr. Jason S. Price, Th.D.
www.springoflivingwaters.com