Planning: Don't Count on Tomorrow

Chuckle: With hands over a woman’s eyes, a man said: "You have three guesses who this is or I'm going to kiss you." Woman: "Jack Frost, Santa Claus, King Leer. ."

Quote: "His (Jesus') cross is the door by which every member of the human race can enter into the life of God; by his Resurrection He has the right to give eternal life to any person, and by His Ascension our Lord enters heaven and keeps the door open for humanity." --Oswald Chambers

"What is your life? You are a mist (vapor) that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say; 'If it's the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that'" (James 14b-15 NIV).

A young couple desiring to go into missionary work had invited a missionary couple to their home. The host couple kept mentioning that life was "so uncertain" for them because the husband had multiple sclerosis. He could even become immobilized in a hospital bed, or live normally until death, or die unexpectedly. After hearing the term "uncertain" so many times, the missionary turned to the couple and said, "All of our lives are uncertain. You just happen to know it, and most of us don't."

One important reason to include God in our planning for the future is that you cannot be certain of what tomorrow will bring. You may not have tomorrow -- you have only the one opportunity of today that is certain. This fact is less real to young people, but much more real to those of us who are older. Whether you are a teenager or senior adult, life is short and fragile. James says we make a foolish mistake when we presume to have a tomorrow. He also says we are fools if we boast about tomorrow. Proverbs 27:1 says: "Do not boast about tomorrow for you do not know what a day may bring forth."

How then should we live? Simple! Live one day at a time. Some of us can't enjoy today because we are so worried or preoccupied with the future. Some can't enjoy their marriages because of planning for the future. Others can't enjoy school because they're planning for after graduation and for "when I get out of here." Jesus said: "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself" (Matthew 6:34 NIV). He is telling us God will take care of tomorrow. So, you should pack your life today with all that God has for you.

Someone has said, "Life is what happens to us while we're planning something else." Many are missing life because being angry with someone is more important than living fully today; being consumed with the past is more important than enjoying the present; worrying about the uncertain future is more important than enjoying today. James encourages you to live it up, God's way. Psalm 90:12 says: "So teach us to number our days that we may present to you a heart of wisdom."

How are you spending your life? Psalm 31:15 says, "Lord, my days (times) are in your hands." God wants us to trust our lives into his care. We should say, "Lord, I don't know how long I will live, but I'll live everyday with the joy of your presence and will be ready when my life ends. Meanwhile, I will allow you to fulfill your purpose for my life."

Love, Jerry & Dotse