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Devotional For the Week 14th March 2005

One Life, Live it
Reference: James 4:13-17

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that. As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." (James 4:13-17)

I asked my daughter what she would do if she were given a few months left to live? She replied that she would dance all day, read all the books she could, and meditate on the Bible everyday.

I was curious and asked her why would she wait till then. Why didn’t she begin to do the things that mattered that very day? Her silence spoke much. She had probably never thought about it that way.

Likewise, my friend, do we do the things that matter today?

The basic theme of our scripture passage today is that life is transient. It is like a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Do we only chase after things that are temporary and forget about the eternal?

To invest in the eternal things is to do the will of our Father in heaven. In making the key decisions of your life, an important evaluation to make is, "Is this the Lord’s will? If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.”

We have one life. Let’s live it abundantly in the ways of God.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, I have one life. I desire to live it according to Your perfect will. Help me this day to be mindful of doing the things that matter to You, such as _____________________ (complete the blank). In Jesus' name, Amen.

- Rev Vincent Goh

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