I went to college to be a planner. I spent my life planning buildings, and planning a business. Now we spend a lot of days planning travel. The scripture in church a few weeks ago got me thinking about plans.
James 4:13-14 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.
I scan the obituaries every day. I usually take the time to read the young ones. I define “young” as anyone my age or younger. The “young” are getting older. I can’t help but think about the plans these people had for their lives. Plans that they will never realize. None of us is guaranteed tomorrow let alone next week, next month, next year. Quite frankly that is one of the things that inspired me to give up my position as a CEO to travel, to see this amazing world God created, and to serve and minister to others while we do it.
I travel with a lot of widows taking the trip they planned to take with their husband someday. Sadly for many that day never came.
God talks a lot about plans in the Bible. There is a lot about “evil plans”. He does encourage us to plan, and I’m encouraged by Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
The James 4 passage above goes on to say in verse 15, instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” I guess that means plans are fine as long as we seek God’s will for those plans.
I’ll continue to plan, ask God for guidance, try to serve his purpose and others in those plans. I’ll do my best not to assume there will be a tomorrow. A favorite song says “To live like you are dying”. I will, because we are. I’m happy that I have an eternal hope that God promised in Jeremiah 29. Let’s make plans to go somewhere. Let’s make plans to make an impact. Let’s do it today because tomorrow doesn’t come with a guarantee.