We Plan, God Laughs

Have you ever woke up one morning and said, “Today is the day my life will change dramatically?”  I have. When I graduated highschool. When I got married the first time. When I graduated college the first time, and a few years later when I had two babies. Divorce, remarriage, more college, answering the call to ministry, be granted the gift of two more babies...you get it. Life brings changes. For some, life brings many changes. Eventually. None of these events changes my life within one day. With some of them, the change occurred so slowly, I barely noticed.

Occasionally, we encounter life changing events that create dramatic alterations immediately. Today, for me is one of those days. We are going to care for a little girl for a friend for a time while her mother battles an illness. For Joe and I, we are seasoned parents. But it has been awhile since we had a baby in the house for more than a day or two. But with our village of people who love us and her, we will be fine.

As I Study today I am drawn to James again. James speaks to encountering the unexpected. He speaks to those of us that plan our lives, counting on what will happen today and what we count on happening tomorrow. But James, ever the realist who doesn’t sugar coat his message, reminds us that We. Don’t. Have. A. Clue. What will happen beyond this particular moment we are living in. He reminds us that in the grand scheme of life eternal, our real time on earth is as brief and fleeting as a mist in the air. So basically he says, moderate your confidence in yourself to plan your life.

There is nothing wrong at all with goals. Set them. Work towards them. Be intentional about life. Include your spiritual life in those goals. But for goodness sakes, don’t ignore, ruin, neglect today for tomorrow. It may not unfold how you planned. Pictures soon.

Today
Live like tomorrow isn’t guaranteed
Take chances
Care for others now
Look up