Words of Grace 9/23

By Rev. Mahlon Nevel

James wrote in his epistle about those who say, “today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain”( 4:13).

Because no one knows what tomorrow holds, what they ought to say is, “If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (v. 15).

Many people today have become aware of the uncertainty of life. Are these the last days? They Wonder. Are we living in the end times?

If the Lord should tarry, some are saying when they make plans for the future. In other words, we will do this if the Lord hasn’t come back by that time.

Jesus promised his disciples that he would return. We have need of patience, Hebrews 10: 36 tells us, so that we might receive the promise.

“For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not Tarry” (v. 37).

A man stood on the corner as he waited for the bus to come. The bus stop sign had been torn down by a gang of rowdy boys in the neighborhood.

A stranger came by, and not seeing a sign, asked where the bus stop was. When the waiting man told him it was right there, the stranger seemed to believe him.

But as the time passed by, he became uneasy. After a few more minutes, he stepped out into the street to hail a passing taxi.

As the man continued to wait for the bus, he mused, “he is pretty much like those people who think that because Jesus hasn’t come back yet, he isn’t coming.”