James 4:14 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.
Norm Sawyer: I dare not turn the page of this chapter of my life in the assumption that my life continues in the next chapter.
The chapter that we are being written into and taking part in is God’s history of His ecclesia. We live in a short season of the Godhead’s infinite history. We cannot assume that we will be written into the next chapter. The allotted time that God has given us will either be used to make a positive or negative difference in the history of Christ’s church. If I do not do what God has asked of me today, what makes me think I have time to do it tomorrow? I may not be part of the next pages and chapters of God’s holy story on this earth. Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom.
When the Lord says, “Today is the day of salvation.” He is pointing out the seriousness of our responsibility to accept His salvation and to be grateful for the day we are breathing in. Our story and our submissive part in the building of the Lord’s ecclesia is being written for a foundation for others to build upon. John 4:37 For in this case, the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the hard work, and now you have taken up their labour. We often forget that we are part of the whole story and not just the part we live in. Our solipsistic nature tends to make everything about us, and we forget that our lives are but a vapour in the timeline of eternal existence. James 4:14 Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring — what your life will be! For you are like vapour that appears for a little while, then vanishes.
There is a belief that the Christian life should eventually become a soft, easygoing time of happiness when the right kind of faith is applied. I do not believe that happiness is guaranteed by God. I know that God speaks to His Saints about overcoming obstacles, bringing Him a sacrifice of praise, enduring hardships, and carrying our cross through the jabs and jeers of the world. None of these things in themselves will bring happiness to the heart of our being. However, what makes our triumph a beautiful chapter is how we, with the Lord’s help, did overcome in the trials of life. We did praise the Lord when we did not feel we had the strength or enthusiasm to do so. We did walk through the slanders of those who persecuted and treated us with contempt. As these things were written about us in our chapter of life, our story reflected the beauty of God’s ability to change a stony heart into a heart for God.
This must have been the feelings that the Apostles had when they had gone through the trauma of Christ’s crucifixion. They had suffered real loss and were confused as to what came next in their lives. Their written chapter might have seemed bleak. But suddenly, God changes the script to one of wondrous joy when the Lord met these heartbroken servants as they walked along, and Jesus ministered the word to them. Luke 24:32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Suddenly, the chapter of their lives was being changed quickly, and they were now playing catch-up to the Lord’s plans.
It might have been the same for the Samaritan woman who was weary of all the mansplaining she had endured with five former husbands and a common-law partner. A dull and tiresome life was her story until Jesus asked her for some water. After her encounter with Jesus (the Messiah who met her inner being’s needs), she could now see her chapter of resurrection life for herself and the people of the village, who also met with the Lord. John 4:42 And they were saying to the woman, “No longer because of your speech do we believe; for we ourselves have heard, and we know that this is truly the Saviour of the world.” What an important chapter this woman was part of, because we talk and read about her to this day.
I do not know the pain, suffering, or pleasant time you are going through. What I know is that God is not finished with us and is still making us part of His story. Our names are being recorded in the Lamb’s book of life, and the works that we do in Christ are being documented for that great day of rewards. As we talk with one another about the greatness of our Saviour, our names are penned in the book of remembrance. Mal. 3:16 Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honoured his name. We are the apple of God’s eye. The Lord cannot stop writing and recording our life’s challenges, victories, and battles fought. The chapters of our life are His eternal story. May what is written about us be honourable and fulfilling to the kingdom of God.
Thank you for this wise word.
Amen, Mal 3:16. I’m looking forward to the coming chapter.
May it be well said of us, Larry, that we honoured God in our hearts.