Folks are always wanting to know what the future holds. Do you ever read the fortune cookie at the Chinese restaurant? I don’t usually read mine, but I do remember the interesting message on one. It went something like, “You will encounter difficulties in a business decision.” I mean, I thought the restaurant wanted our business. Now I find out there will be problems, really? I was very disappointed in another as my cookie message was blank. Can you imagine how I felt when I came to the realization that I don’t have a future. (sarcasm)
And don’t forget the psychic hotlines because people want to know. And there is often a horoscope section in your favorite newspaper so that everyone can know their own daily destiny.
Yep, even church-going Christians are taken in by a desire to know their worldly future!
But knowing the future is not near as important as being prepared for what the future holds.
In James 4, we see something about the future:
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."
14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
15 Instead, you ought to say, " If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."
16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.
17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
(nasb)
James is saying… so, you have already thought about and even shared your plan with others. You done went and decided the where and the when and you even have a pretty good idea about the how, but you never even sought the Lord’s will in your plan. So, it’s not God’s plan at all. You have set yourself up for a rogue mission independent of God.
We just don’t know what tomorrow will bring. How can we? I appreciate the job the national weather service and our local tv weather personalities do to present the weather and keep us safe. It can be quite helpful to have some idea, but we just don’t know. It always amazes me when I see that the 7-day forecast indicates no rain, and it rains that night. We just don’t know. James is saying, “Y’all don’t even know what will happen tomorrow!”
By the way, I would like to encourage y’all to pray for rain.
Only God knows what will happen! Since it is impossible to know what the future holds, how can we as Christians make choices for the future without God directing it?
James asks an important question, “What is your life?” Or why am I here? Life is a gift. And, life is opportunity. The way we look at life makes all the difference in the world.
But the truth is, on our own, we just don’t know what the future holds.
Our dependence should be on God, not some independent plan that we have come up with.
Let’s permit God to help us with that. NO, God must direct it.
God loves you and He is interested in you. He knows what’s best for you. Don’t just show a casual interest in Him, give Him your all! He gave His all! God loves you!
Choose Jesus, choose life and let your light shine! And find a Bible believin’ church where you “fit in” and know, grow, and follow Christ! Tell others! See y’all at church and keep PRAYIN’ for HIS HARVEST! Pray for the rain! Amen!