December 28 | James 4:13-15

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow, we will go to this city or that city and we will do this for a year and we will go and we will profit.” No one knows what your life will be like tomorrow; for it is a vapor that appears for a little while, but thereafter it disappears. nstead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will do this or that.”” (James 4:13–15)

I’ve heard some teach James is telling us we don’t have to plan. Besides, we don’t know how long we have. But is that really what James is teaching?

James hears people boasting about making profit because they expect to live once they made plans. They presume they have a year to live. He reminds them that they live as long as the Lord allows.

It is not up to us to decide how long to live. But this doesn’t mean we don’t plan for the future. It is not evil to make plans. In fact, if you’re going to make the most of your time on earth you should plan.

Now that I am paralyzed I make many tentative plans. I can’t guarantee I won’t be in pain the day that I plan something. I can’t guarantee I will be able to make every appointment. But that doesn’t keep me from making plans.

When James tells you to say, “If the Lord wills…” you make your plans with the Lord and His will for you in mind. Do you schedule your day so you can have devotions and prayer? Do you plan for divine appointments? We must be about our Father’s business as we plan.

Action Step: Plan your day around what the Lord wants you to do.

Jesus, I want to work for Your Kingdom first. As I plan my day, I want to hear Your Spirit speak to me. Please give me divine appointments as I go about my day.