If It's The Lord's Will

If It's The Lord's Will

Prayer  Gracious and loving Father, Thank you for allowing me to see a new day to serve and praise  you, Lord. Please help me to be filled with gratitude for every mountain you've brought me  over. Bless marriages throughout this city, state, and nation--please send your peace and  your love into our homes.  Help Christian singles to live holy and to be filled with your  presence and power in their lives.   In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. If It's The Lord's Will by Veronica Garrett  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 and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. James 4:13-17 The farmer realizes that his success is dependent on factors beyond his control such as the weather. Extreme temperatures as well as excessive showers or drought will affect his crop. Regardless of his spiritual beliefs, he depends on the one who controls the weather for a bountiful harvest.  Prior to reaping his harvest you won't find  him boasting about how great of a harvest he's going to have. He speaks with humility as he tells of his plans because he know a harsh winter, dry summer, or drenching spring could ruin his crop. More recently the lives of many Americans have been devastated because their plans have been thwarted by a distressed economy. One such couple spent their who lives planning to be millionaires in their retirement. They made numerous sacrifices and worked many hours to save their nest egg. And yet, their investment failed to produce the financial stability they had hope. In fact, with the exception of their home they lost all of their investment nearing one million dollars. We all should responsibly plan. However, the problem comes when our plans become idols and we invest all of our hopes and dreams into our ability to plan and to implement our plans. I've heard many explain their plan in great detail while boasting in their ability to carry it out successfully. Some time ago I was speaking to a young wife and she stated that her children were planned and that everything in her house was planned. As I listened I realized that she had no idea the grace of God in that. Many women are so very grateful when a child is born because through many attempts they realize that God is in control. As far as financial planning is concerned God has blessed her in such way that storms such as job loss and illness had bypassed her home. What I've learned is it is by the grace of God that plans work the way we would like them too.  My mother-in-law says it best when she tells her plans and she always adds if it's the Lord wills.  It's a humbling thing to acknowledge that on tomorrow I may be incapable of doing what comes so easy for me today. And even more she lives as one who believes it. She doesn't delay to do the good she could today because tomorrow is not promised. Each of us has hopes for the future but let us add to them if it's the Lord's will.