Lord Willing

Let’s take a few moments to let God’s word speak into our lives. The book of James has sometimes been called the “Proverbs of the New Testament.” It is full of practical wisdom for living—and it’s a book that I’m repeatedly drawn back to. The portion I want to invite you to consider with me today speaks to the way we make plans for daily life.

Some of us are planners. And others of us (we’ll just say) play it by ear. [Fairly typical situation in marriage.] I’ve been on trips with folks who decided to go to the Grand Canyon on whim, without checking the weather forecast (it snowed). And I’ve been on trips with folks who not only had a printed itinerary, they detailed it all the way down to bathroom breaks.

Our text today addresses this—the way we plan and order our lives—but at a deeper level. It addresses the sense of control we feel over our life (whether we’re talking about a 5-year plan or the next 5 minutes). And it addresses the human tendency to manage our day-to-day lives with little thought of God’s will and God’s purpose.

The Text

James 4:13–17 ESV

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.

I’m Not in Control

It may be helpful to note what James is not saying. He is not saying that it is wrong to make plans for travel, for business, or for making a profit. That is otherwise called good stewardship. Rather, he challenges self-assured confidence in human plans. (You don’t have as much control as you imagine).

James 4:14 ESV

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.

health crisis, job layoffs, an accident, death in the family, financial challenges - There are unplanned events in life that change forever how we prioritize our cares.

Wisdom teaches us to prioritize our lives according to God before any such event happens.

Don’t put off until tomorrow the most important things. As the old country song says: “If tomorrow never comes”

Luke 12 - Jesus told a parable about a rich man who got a good crop. So he started planning for the future. Decided he needed a new barn. Stored up ample goods for many years. But God said to him, “Fool!” He was a fool for not planning far enough ahead; he accounted only for temporal things but not God, not the eternal things.

Not only is it foolish; it is “evil.”

James 4:16 ESV

As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

It is to live as if you are God: commanding your life forward as if the power and the say is all yours.

practical atheism - external forms of religion are maintained, but the substance is discarded. Superficial practice of religion, but essentially bypassing God in day-to-day living.

Bonhoeffer - “Cheap grace is grace without discipleship.” To be consoled by a message of grace without following Jesus into different ways of living.

Managing: wealth (temporal/eternal), thought-life (anger, lust), appearances (church circles / social media, school, work circles), calendar (Mon-Sat / how you spend your time)

Are there certain parts of your day-to-day living where you are essentially bypassing God?

James 4:17 ESV

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

God is in Control

How might our daily life change if our mindset shifted from ‘I am in control’ to ‘God is in control’?

James 4:15 ESV

Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

It was commonplace to say “if the gods will.” It is interesting that James uses Lord rather than God. It may be that he altering the well-known phrase with a title that more directly points to the God of the Bible—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—and to the Lord Jesus.

He means for us to say this: outward acknowledgement of the Lord’s sovereign rule.

He means for us to think this: inner attitude of submission to the Lord’s will

Profoundly encouraging: The Lord has a will in regard to your life. Whether you have a long life or a short life, God has a purpose for you.

This Life is Short

James 4:14 ESV

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.

Life is short. YOLO (living with reckless abandon / seize the day). Bucket list.

1. See the northern lights 2. Skydive 3. Get a tattoo 4. Go on a cruise 5. Swim with dolphins 6. Get married 7. Go scuba diving 8. Run a marathon 9. Go zip-lining 10. Ride an elephant

My passions vs. God’s purpose: What is God’s bucket-list for my life?

Christian virtues (kind, humble, generous, patient, faith-full, loving, merciful). Christian service (caring for the poor, the fatherless, the homeless, the sick / missions / sharing your faith / church ministry).

James 4:17 ESV

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Conclusion

Being a Christian often means doing what you do not want to do. It often means sacrificing your passion or pleasure for God’s will and purpose. Which brings us to Jesus. This is the week when many Christians give special attention to the events of the last week of Jesus’ life. On the night before he was crucified, he fell on the ground in sorrowful prayer:

Mark 14:36 ESV

And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”