Whose Plans?

Bible Reading: James 4:13-17

Dad gently shook Mateo’s shoulder. “Time to go,” Dad whispered. “Fishing is best in the early morning, you know.” Mateo groaned but rolled out of bed, and soon he and Dad were pushing off in a rowboat.

The sky was growing lighter, but a heavy mist hung over the still waters of the lake. Mateo yawned. “We can’t even see where we’re going,” he complained.

“What happened to all the enthusiasm you had yesterday?” asked Dad. “I heard you tell your friends you were going to catch the most fish.”

Mateo sat up straighter. “Yeah, and I will,” he declared. “You’ll see.”

Dad was the first to reel in a good-sized bass, and then he caught several others. Mateo snagged a small sunfish—so small he had to throw it back into the water. Soon the sun came out and the mist disappeared.

After several hours, Mateo was discouraged. “I’m ready to quit,” he grumbled. “I need to warm up before my baseball game today. I’m gonna knock the ball right out of the park!”

“I wouldn’t want to miss that,” said Dad with a smile. “But you’d better be careful about what you say. Not long ago you were going to catch the most fish. Now you’re going to be the best ball player. It’s a little embarrassing to boast like that and then come up empty-handed, isn’t it?”

“I guess,” said Mateo, glancing at the few small fish he had caught. He grinned. “Maybe I should say I’m going to strike out every time I’m up to bat.”

Dad laughed. “Oh, I wouldn’t go that far. Seriously, though, the Bible warns against boasting about our plans. We can’t be sure what will happen tomorrow—or even today. Life is like the mist that was over the lake early this morning.”

“It sure didn’t last long, did it?” said Mateo.

“No, it didn’t, and our lives on this earth don’t last long either. The only thing that lasts is eternal life with Jesus. That’s why we need to trust Him. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but we do know Jesus will be with us no matter what happens.” -Brenda Decker

How About You?

Do you already have plans for today? For tomorrow? For next week? It’s good to think about upcoming events and opportunities, but as you make plans, remember that God is in control of all that happens. Your plans will come to pass only as He allows. Keep that in mind, and trust Him when things don’t go the way you planned, knowing He will be with you no matter what happens.

Today’s Key Verse:
James 4:15 What you should say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” (NLV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Trust God as you make plans