If the Lord Will James 4:15

James, the “servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”, told the people within the “twelve tribes scattered abroad” to think when they say, “today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain”. He stated they did not “know what shall be on the morrow”, and he desired for them to reflect upon how their lives were a “vapor”, “that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away”. In chapter four and verse fifteen of his letter, James encouraged them to say, “if the Lord will” where we read:

For that you ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

The verse begins, “For that you ought to say, If the Lord will,...” James began with the words, “For that” which means “instead and in place of” “you ought to say” which means “James' readers should speak, affirm, maintain, advise, exhort, command and intend” “If” or “in case” “the Lord” which refers to “he to whom a person or thing belongs about which he has power of deciding, a master and the title given to God the Messiah” “will” which means “has in mind, intends, is resolved or determined to purpose, desire or wish indeed”. Rather than presupposing their future plans upon their own thoughts, James' readers were to say, “If the Lord will”.

The verse goes on to say, “...we shall live, and do this, or that.” James continued, “we shall live” which is the Greek phrase “zaō zaō “ which means “to breathe, be among the living, not lifeless or dead, active, blessed and having vital power in itself and exerting the same upon the soul”, “and do this” which is “kai poieō poieō touto “ and means “makes, are authors of, produce, construct, form, fashion, cause, prepare and acquire a particular thing”, “or that” which refers to “another thing like and the same”. Whenever we are busy or plan to be busy about “this or that” or whatever comes into our lives, we should defer our will to that of the Lord's.

When we think through these words of James, we are challenged to have the proper notion whenever we make plans to venture.“The Lord's will” is preeminent, and our will must always be in submission to His. Rather than boastfully state that we shall do “this thing” or “that thing”, those who align themselves with Jesus Christ will always seek His guidance for any whims, thoughts or ideas. Our plans may be according to “His will”, and they may not. The key for us is to seek the Lord's face before we make our venturous plans and not to form our designs and ask Him to bless them afterwords. We must remember, the Lord Jesus Christ knows what is best for us, and anything other than His way may lead us into a path of destruction or unnecessary anguish.

Next time James tells his readers about the consequences of “rejoicing in boastings”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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