People often make future plans without considering their relationship with God. Consider a serious lesson about a man who failed to account for the uncertainty of the future, the brevity of life, and the need to plan according to God's will.
The following true story occurred June 8, 1971. Jerome Rodale was a health advocate who coined the term “organic.” On a late-night TV show, he said, “I’ve decided to live to be a hundred.” “I never felt better in my life!” And “I’m going to live to be 100…” Following his interview, he was seated on a couch when he suddenly slumped over. Doctors in the audience attempted unsuccessfully to revive him. He was declared dead on arrival at the hospital at age 72.
This powerfully illustrates three lessons taught in James 4:13-16.
No One Knows the Future
James 4:13,14 – 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.
Rodale’s first mistake was presuming he knew the future. You and I should not make that mistake. We have plans for tomorrow or next week. But those plans can change unexpectedly at any time. Always remember to plan in harmony with God’s will.
Proverbs 27:1 - Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
Life Is Uncertain and Brief
James 4:14 – For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Luke 12:16-21 – A rich farmer had an especially good crop. So he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’” But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you…” So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Rodale’s second mistake was failing to realize how brief and uncertain life can be. Just because he felt good at the time did not guarantee he would continue for many years. We should not make the same mistake. Every day you should be ready if your life should end that day.
Psalm 39:5 – Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.
People Should Always Plan in Harmony with the Will of God.
James 4:15,16 – 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.
Rodale’s third mistake was failing to consider that God is ultimately in charge of life. We are mistaken if we think we have the power to make future plans with confidence, even boasting about what we will do. Some people make elaborate plans for the future. But we don’t know what will happen. We must never leave God out of our plans.
Such boasting is arrogant and evil because it assumes for ourselves power that only God possesses. We cannot know or control the future. To think or speak as if we can do so is to act with arrogance as if we think we are God.
God is in ultimate control, and we do not know His specific plans for the future. So, we must always keep Him in our plans and not presume to ourselves Divine prerogatives about what the future holds.
Rodale died unexpectedly. We never know when life may end. Are you serving God faithfully so you are ready to face Jesus in the day of judgment?
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2025; gospelway.com
