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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 James 4:14.

It is incredible to me how people play games. They play "slick" games; those "I can mistreat you and get by" games. I have dealt with so many people who assume that they are smarter than everybody else. Therefore they do their secret backstabbing (or some other despicable act) and fully expect to get away with it. It’s as if they are saying, "There’s no God to worry about. I’m in control of everything".

I have lived long enough to learn that we can’t afford to take God out of anything. Human life is frail, short and uncertain; and so is the prosperity and enjoyment that goes with it. That is why we need to seek God’s Word to show us how to live.

Our times are not in our own hands. We fill our heads up with all of the cares and plans we have for ourselves, our families and friends, and suddenly something unexpected comes and throws our world into confusion. And yet, people think lightly of lying, cheating or stealing to get what they want. They have no idea or control over what tomorrow will bring them, but they play the game anyway.

Lindia and I made plans to pay off certain debts that we had accumulated. Shortly afterwards, the motor in Lindia’s car had to be replaced. Then we had a couple of other very high cost emergencies that overshadowed our plans. And while we are still making progress, things didn’t happen the way we planned. Therefore, I have reached the same conclusion that James did. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall love, and do this or that James 4:15.

I haven’t stopped making plans, but my approach is different. I now say, "if the Lord will and I’m still alive, I will retire or go on a vacation or …, …I cannot boast in any worldly thing; I have no control over anything.

Verse 13 of James, chapter 13, brings to mind the businessman, tycoon, or up and coming entrepreneur. They all say, "I’m going to make a million dollars and live the American dream". God says that this life is a vapor. "I’m going to buy a Mercedes or a new wardrobe". A vapor. How can we say what we are going to do tomorrow when we don’t know if we will be here the next moment?

Listen friend. Human life that is lived apart from God is the greatest failure in the universe. No matter what you do, if it is outside of God’s will and purpose, it is a vapor. God shows us how to live longer, better, deeper and broader. He gives us rest and peace unlike anything we’ve ever experienced.

Everything that God made has a purpose. The sun has been giving light and warmth to the earth for millions of years. I have read that it has many more millions of years before it will begin to diminish. It serves a god and useful purpose because it does exactly what God created it to do.

The flower blooming in the middle of the desert far away from human eye is serving God’s purpose. All of creation serves God’s good and useful purpose except mankind. Man plays games. He refuses to serve God’s purpose because he thinks that he is control of things all by himself. He assumes that he has no accountability to deal with, therefore he lives uninhibited. But one day it will all come to an end.

Life is brief. It takes 20 – 25 years to grow up and another 10 years to mature and find your place in this world. If we are fortunate, in another 10 years we will find success. So 45 years have gone by and you get an invitation to the 30-year class reunion. Suddenly you have to start taking annual screening tests to try and keep you healthy another 15 years so you can retire, that is, if you can. Then that little pain in your chest that you ignored 40 years ago will cost thousands of dollars to evaluate.

What is your life? It’s a vapor; a morning fog that disappears when the sun rises. How can we afford to play silly games? How can we risk gossiping and slandering other people? How can we live life as if God is not an option? No matter what we achieve in this life, if we leave God out, we are a failure.

Not only is life brief, it is full of uncertainty. In fact, the moment we think we’ve got it all together, that’s the time we really need to consider. I don’t mean to sound skeptical, but I do think it is wise to understand our limits. Without God to confide in, we have no assurance that if we exhale, we will inhale again.

David ran from Saul for years. Although he knew that he had been anointed king, things got so rough that he said, "There is but one step between me and death" 1 Samuel 20:3. It wasn’t how skillful a fighter David was, or how accurate he was with a sling. It wasn’t the hit song the women made saying that David had slain his 10,000’s. That didn’t mean anything when he was one step away from eternity. Just one slip up; one wrong turn; one mistake, and it would be over.

I’m not saying that we should not make plans. If we want to take a vacation, it’s silly not to save up, get the car ready and get a map. But we need to tell God, this is something that I want to do; but it is your will that counts. If you will, then I’ll go. If not, then I won’t. God knows what is down the road. We don’t.

James said that life "appeared" for a while and then vanishes. I know that I am alive and I am here. But I cannot pinpoint when the exact realization hit me. In a mysterious fashion, I "appeared". I’m in this body that I didn’t choose for myself. But I’m stuck in it until the time comes to shed it. Then I’ll vanish away to somewhere. And just like I appeared, I leave.

Science says we evolved. Other religions say we are a mind waiting to be absorbed into one supreme mind. And yet others say that we are in various stages of reincarnation. If we aren’t willing to accept God’s answer, then we have no answer.

In this section of scripture, someone was speaking of making money. Money is a resource we all need. But money in and of itself is inadequate to supply all we need. Elvis Pressley, the king of rock and roll, said that he would give a million dollars for one day of peace. He eventually died from drugs, alcohol and overweight.

Just look around at the multiplied masses. Life is inadequate. Everybody is addicted to something. Men are controlled by passion and beat down by failure and frustration. Women are looking for love and sacrificing their virginity on the altar of high-risk lifestyles. Where can we find the voice of optimism?

Hospitals are crowded and jails are full. The most prescribed pill is used to treat stress ulcers. The DHR is over burdened with homeless children from broken and abused homes. And the government cannot help because they are too busy trying to start World War III and finance health clinics to abort another generation of babies.

What can we do? We can say, "If the Lord will, we shall love and do this or that." Until we bring God into our life, it is meaningless. No matter how noble our goals, without Christ, it cannot satisfy.

Christ is the answer to this brief, uncertain and mysterious life. He is the cure to our inadequacy. I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly John 10:10.

By: Edmund Brown