Seek God’s leading and his will. (1)

James 4: 13 – 16: Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 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.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.

In verse 13 James pictures business people making plans for future ventures. They say,
(James 4:13) "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."
They pick the day of their departure, "today or tomorrow" and they pick the city they want to visit, "this or that city," and decide how long they are going to stay there - "a year." They declare their intention to "carry on business." and to "make money." But they do not recognise God’s leading and will in any of this!

James gives these business people as an example with a warning: "Don't be like them," he wants to say.

James warns us against a worldly outlook on life, which makes us believe that we are completely in control of our lives. This world view has no place for God and although some may be nominal believers in God, they live like atheists – as if God does not exist, as if they are masters of their lives and as if they do not need to consult with God, or listen to him, or desire his leading in their lives, because they, and only they, are in charge of their lives.

Can you expect God’s blessing, protection and guidance when he has no place in your plans, desires, diary, budget, or in any way plays any role in your planning your day to day business?

Let’s take care, this year, not to be professing Christians who come to church when it suits us, pray when we are in trouble, but on a day to day basis live as practising atheists. It is so easy to make plans for 2011 and have wonderful dreams for our children – yet all the time neglect God’s will, God’s plan and God’s leading in all of these important matters. Don’t even try to avoid the most important question in your life: "What does God want me to do? What is his will?"

Listen to the warning James gives us today: James 4: 14 - 16 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.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.

If it is the Lord’s will, we will live, and we will surrender ourselves to his will and his values this year. He is our Head and our King! We will do what he asks and we will go where he sends and we will follow his leading.