The Rise of the Machines (James 4)

The Rise of the Machines (James 4)

James 4.14 Yet you do not know the least thing about what may happen tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? You are really but a wisp of vapor, a puff of smoke, a mist that is visible for a little while and then disappears into thin air. [amp]

A little while ago I found myself caught up in the ultimate struggle... man against machine! My computer and I were locked in an epic battle of wills for the better part of a day. What started out as a simple request ended up in hours of frustration and misery. All I wanted to do was print one document but my computer had other ideas. I valiantly battled to exert my dominance as the superior intellect but to no avail.

Finally in the late hours of the night I emerged the victor. I wanted to call everyone I knew to let them know of my struggle and my victory but I was exhausted. As I was laying on my bed reflecting on the events of the day, my joy quickly began to fade and a new realisation began to emerge. Of the limited number of days granted to me to live on this earth, I had just spent one of them doing something which has no eternal value whatsoever!

Life is so fragile. We have no guarantee how long we have here on earth. According to the CIA World Factbook, roughly 56,597,034 people leave us every year. That's about a 155,000 a day.

One day it will be my turn.

I wonder, when that time comes, will I be ready? Have I spent my time wisely? Have I prioritised my life according to those things which are eternal or have I allowed myself to get distracted? Was I purposeful in planning my daily schedule or did I allow myself to be dragged along in the currents of life without stopping to realise that time was quickly passing me by? Were there things I should have said but didn't, things I didn't do but should have? Did I settle for less than God intended?

Can I say like the Apostle Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have completed the race and I have kept the faith and now the victors crown of righteousness is waiting for me."

I am reminded of Psalm 90.12 which says, "Teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom."

A quick search on Google reveals a snapshot of the reality of our world today. 11 million children under the age of five will die this year from a preventable disease (9 million of them before they turn 5), an estimated 112 million children are underweight, there were an estimated 2.7 million new infections of HIV Aids this past year, 900 million people still have to rely on water from unsafe sources and 2.5 billion people did not have access to improved sanitation and 1.2 billion had to practice open defecation. I could go on and on...

What about in my own community, my church, my street, my workplace, my school, my family, my home?

Lord please help me to count my days. Help me to focus my attention on those tasks which have eternal consequences. Let my life count.