Lord’s Day, Vol. 7 No. 52

Dawn of a New Decade

As the year of grace 2019 comes to a close, we are at the dawn of a new year and a new decade. 

It is timely to be reminded the words of James in James 4:13-17, “13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:13-17 (KJV)

Several thoughts come to mind in this text:

(1) Worldly Ambitions Checked (v13)

(2) Brevity of Life Acknowledged (v14)

(3) Planning with God in View (v15)

(4) Our Boasting is Evil (v16)

(5) Be Obedient to God’s Word (v17)

Let us count our blessings giving thanks to God for His marvelous grace toward us for the year of grace 2019. Also, let us take time to make preparation, as we look forward to the new year and a new decade. The relentless and unstoppable tide of time awaits no man. It is impossible to unwind time and re-live life. How can we find true comfort, true wisdom and strength to live life? It is an appropriate time to examine and evaluate the fruitfulness of our lives in the light of God’s Word. 

James tells us truthfully that life is like a vapour. A vapour exists momentarily and it’s gone. Life is like that. It is frail, fleeting and transitory. Life is short and death is certain. We need to realize this truth and allow it to sink down our hearts that we may awake from our self-reliance. 

These words were written in order to jolt us to examine our own hearts if we are truly God’s children for ultimately that is all that matters. But this passage has a deeper message. It is speaking to Christians but who are resolute at times to walk our own way, in our own strength, by our own wisdom. How foolish it is to ignore God and proudly plan our future! Christians are to live in humility before Him and to have a conscious acceptance of God’s sovereign will.

God is the Giver and Determinator of life. If God wills, we shall live. James exhorts us to face this reality of our mortal existence on this earth as we conclude this year and are at the dawning of a new year.

James is teaching a Christian mindset that needs to permeate all aspects of our life. We need continually be aware of our finiteness and dependence on God and His sovereign purpose in every aspect of life. “If the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that.”

God controls the future and we need to acknowledge Him in all our ways (Proverbs 3:6). We can think of worldly thoughts and fall into depression. An example is Murphy’s Law – What will go wrong must go wrong or anything that can go wrong will go wrong and we become fearful and unsettled and we become depressed and we become sad. 

Remember the children’s song “How Can I Fear” that teaches us faith or dependence on Jesus, our God, is true strength.

How Can I Fear

When shadows fall

and the night covers all,

There are things that

my eyes cannot see.

I’ll never fear,

for the Saviour is near;

My Lord abides with me.

How can I fear?

Jesus is near.

He ever watches over me.

Worries all cease;

He gives me peace.

How can I fear with Jesus?

When I’m alone

and I face the unknown,

And I fear what the future may be,

I can depend

on the strength of my friend

He walks along with me.

How can I fear?

Jesus is near.

He ever watches over me.

Worries all cease;

He gives me peace.

How can I fear with Jesus?s

God is with us helping us through life. We are kept by His grace. We can rest assured of His goodness leading us moment by moment in our journey to heaven. God wants us to realize that humble submission and obedience to God’s revealed will is our blessed course. 

Consult the Lord in all your planning. When we know God’s will and not obey, this is sin! God wants us to do good. He gives us His good laws as a compass to steer us in the course of safety and blessing.  

As we draw close to the end of 2019, are there areas of regret, disappointment, discouragement? Let us put them behind us and move forward with God’s help. This is the only safety. God will surely do us good if we trust and obey and prove Him faithful! Amen.

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee