Tomorrow

Scriptures: Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:14-15)

A woman who is a nutritionist by profession was admitted to the hospital because she suffered a stroke. The sister who told me this story said, “The unique thing about this is that, being a nutritionist, she has been very mindful of her diet, about what she eats and not eat. She has also been exercising regularly. Yet, while still in early 40’s, she suffered a stroke that left her lying unconsciously in ICU.”

While I could certainly understand the sentiment of seeing such a health conscious person getting sick, I couldn’t help remember our passage today. With all the advancements in science and technology, sometimes we really think, if we do it right, we can be invincible. But, in fact, we are both fragile and vulnerable.

I still remember vividly from a TV interview on 9/11. The interviewee was a woman whose father was in one of those three aircrafts that crashed. She said she had an argument with her father that morning before he left for the airport. The thing that bothered her most was that it wasn’t something so serious to warrant an argument. And, after the crash, she did not even have a chance to be reconciled to him.

Apostle James said, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (James 4:14) How true! But, then again, how often have we forgotten this important fact!

We all have dreams in life, things that we would like pursue or accomplish. These things or people are dear to our hearts and, if possible, we would want to stay engaged for as long as possible. The problem is, we don’t know how long it is.

When things are going great, we think we are on top of everything. When things are not going great, we work double efforts to “make it right.” In either case, we assume that there is a positive correlation between the efforts we put in and the results we receive. And, in so doing, all that we are concerned with is our efforts and the results we desire. We tend to forget that, in the equation of life, there is another factor, rightly the most important factor, God. It was God who created us all and who gave meanings to our lives.

No wonder Apostle James taught us to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:15) He wanted to remind us of the fact that God has a will for our lives. Since He is ultimately in charge and His wills will ultimately prevail over all other things, it is of utmost importance that we heed to His will and leading.

This is not a new discovery about God, but a theology known to all Christians. Yet, sometimes, it takes a tragedy like that of the nutritionist or something greater, like 9/11, to remind us once again, God is still in charge of our lives and that we must not take this fact lightly.

As much as we should strive to do good by planning, I believe this teaching from James was not to forbid us from planning, but instead, to include the considerations of the Lord’s will in our planning. I am convinced that, if we include all factors in the equation of life, our planning will then, and only then, be complete, meaningful and effective for eternity!

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow

I don’t know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day;
I don’t borrow from its sunshine,
For its skies may turn to gray.
I don’t worry o’er the future,
For I know what Jesus said;
And today I will walk beside Him,
For He knows what lies ahead.

(chorus)
Many things about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand;
But I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand.

Ev’ry step is getting brighter,
As the golden stairs I climb;
Ev’ry burden’s getting lighter,
Ev’ry cloud is silver-lined.
There the sun is always shining,
There no tear will dim the eye;
At the ending of the rainbow,
Where the mountains touch the sky.

(chorus)

I don’t know about tomorrow,
It may bring me poverty;
But the One who feeds the sparrow,
Is the One who stands by me.
And the path that be my portion,
May be through the flame or flood,
But His presence goes before me,
And I’m covered with His blood.

(chorus)

-- by Ira Forest Stanphill

Prayer Requests:
For those attending to the sick in the family

Prayer:
Our Abba Father, there are many things we don’t know why they happened, especially the sickness of loved ones. Please remind us of Your presence in our lives and of Your love and kindness toward us so we may be strengthened, even in the midst of troubling times. In the name of our Lord and Redeemer, Jesus, we pray, Amen!