James 4:13-17 Go to now, you 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:… I. HUMAN LIFE. 1. The period of its duration. It is a little time, but it bears a never-ending relationship to eternity. Let us, therefore, improve the precious gift; it will soon be gone, and will never return. Let us look upon our days as so many valuable gifts which God puts into our hands, which we must part with, and which we may exchange, one after the other, so long as they last, for something which shall enrich us for ever. 2. The incidents of which man's life is composed. We "go into such a city, continue there a year, and buy and sell and get gain." Alas! this completely describes the lives of multitudes among us; their journeyings, sojournings, tradings, and gains — and that is all! Some of us do not even come up to that. I mean those who spend their lives in killing time without wink. But life is made up of much more than these. What have we received?" Goodness and mercy have followed us," etc. What return have we made for so much mercy? Alas! much of forgetfulness, indolence, murmuring, unbelief, and rebellion. "We are unprofitable servants." What do we now possess? We have not been buying and selling, or losing, or getting gain only. "With all our getting" have we "got understanding"? Have we a more thorough, abiding conviction of the evil of sin? Have we felt a more searching, heart-aching repentance for it — a repentance which leads to the entire forsaking of it? II. DIVINE PROVIDENCE IN RELATION TO HUMAN LIFE. 1. Our dependence upon it. Whether we know and feel it, or otherwise, we are dependent upon God. Sometimes He makes us know it. Our path is "hedged up," our best, wisest schemes fail, and we are suffered to want. And what a mercy that ultimately we are dependent not on bad men, or even good ones, but upon God! Let us look beyond second causes to the providence of God in the changes which are passing in the Church of God, and its associations. 2. Our ignorance of what the Divine providence will accomplish. "Ye know not what shall be on the morrow." (T. E. Thoresby.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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: |
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