James 4:13-14

James’ readers would have immediately understood his description of the eager business person. At the time, markets were opening up all around the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. There were endless opportunities to set up new businesses and James isn’t objecting either to business or the making of profit. His problem was that individuals had forgotten how temporary their life was. They were acting as if they were in full control of the future, and they weren’t.

These verses remind us of Jesus’ parable about the rich man whose farm was doing so well that he needed to build bigger barns. The man smugly concluded that he could now sit back and say to himself: “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink and be merry!” But God called him a fool because he hadn’t taken into account that he could die that very night (see Luke 12:19-20).

God doesn’t want us to live in a state of daily anxiety because of the fragility and brevity of life. His desire is simply that we recognise that our lives are in his hands. The apostle Paul was acutely aware of this. When writing to the Corinthian Church, he expressed his desire to spend the winter with them. He was clearly weighing up his plans and commented: “This time I don’t want to make just a short visit and then go right on. I want to come and stay a while, if the Lord will let me” (1 Corinthians 16:7). I love this insight into Paul’s ministry. He was eager to plan well, but aware that it was all in the Lord’s hands.

I encourage you to make good plans for your life - but also make sure that you place them in the hands of God.

QUESTION

Have you placed your life plans in God’s hands?

PRAYER

Lord God, help me to use every day of my life to serve you. Amen