In the last week or so, I've talked with two people with whom our conversations ended with me saying, "I'll see you on (specific day)." In both instances each person said, "Lord willing" after my comment. That got me to wondering if it's something I should say or if it's enough to know it. With me, it's a given that I won't do anything outside the Lord's will, I know He'll bring about His will perfectly in His time. But do I need to actually say, "Lord willing?" According to the following not saying it is boasting in arrogance.
James 4:13-17
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
So what are your thoughts?
3 comments:
The older I get, the more I know that God is in complete control of my comings and goings. I can make plans, but He is the one who sees that I have breath and strength to fulfill them.
I think we can certainly say, 'we will do thus and so, Lord willing.' But it is also an attitude. A daily acknowledgment in our hearts of His Lordship over our lives.
BTW-Thanks for stopping by my blog!
I like to say it because it reminds me that God is in control (and because of the verses you just qouted!). But even more than SAYING IT it must be the attitude of my heart! I can say it as a habit with no real thought or meaning . . . which makes it worthless. I don't feel compelled to say it every time I say something. But I like to remember to say it sometimes.
I agree that the passage quoted is addressing an attitude, not "a letter of the law." In addition, I would add that when our intentions and hearts are right with God, His grace and mercy step in and our sin, weakness, forgetfulness, or whatever is forgiven. How awesome is that!
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