11.05.07
“LONG RANGE PLANNING!”
James 4:13-17
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
Back in the early 70’s, I worked for the Idaho Law Enforcement Planning Commission. Our major objective was to reduce crime. In order to achieve our objective we had both short range and long range goals. Part of our efforts were directed to deal with immediate critical issues that had to be dealt with, but our major objective was to develop a long range plan to assist local communities to reduce crime.
I see a strong similarity in today’s Scripture. I want to assure you that this passage does not teach that we are to sit on our “do-nothings” and do nothing. The teaching that James is attempting to get across has to do with boasting about the future without considering what God has to say about the matter.
God’s plan is for us to be active and responsible in looking toward the future — with His divine care, provision and leadership. If we leave the Lord out of our planning — we basically have no future, and what future we do have is bleak.
We are looking beyond the temporal and considering the eternal! Knowing, as James says, that life is like a mist which comes and so quickly goes, what are we planning for?
If our long range planning is so short sighted that it is limited to the here and now, how sad is our lot. We need to use our time and energy to serve the Lord in such a way that we are in reality planning for eternity. Now that is really long range-planning!
Across the centuries God’s faithful servants have seemingly squandered their chances of success in this life. They have said no to the glitter and appeal of the world in order to follow the Lord’s plan. They have left wealth, family and stability to serve as missionaries, pastors and other ministries. They come to retirement years with little or nothing to live on - - - Oh! Wait! That is not so is it? The Lord is there to provide even in this world.
Yes, God provides our needs in this human existence, but this is not our goal. Our home is not here in this world. Our treasures are laid up in glory. Every act of obedience to God’s will is another deposit in our heavenly account. No, salvation is not earned by our acts, but as born again believers, we are planning for eternity by giving our all for the Lord.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today and be a blessing.
- - - Pastor Cecil