Life as a Vapor
I recently read a book with that title by John Piper. It was truly excellent. Thanks again!
It is incredible how our life here on earth is just that... a vapor. But people are living like if they had all the time in the world. Specially young people, they think they are invincible, that nothing will ever happen to them.
I would like to share a part of what I read on the book.
James 4:13-16: Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make profit"- yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
Verse 14 in another version: 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.
The author says that we are not the ones who decide, it's God who makes the final decision. If we think otherwise we are arrogant. It's like saying: "I am the one who has total control of my life and God has nothing to do with it." And that is the way most of the people think nowadays. It is kind of sad when you think about it and you wonder...why did you choose me to be able to see and comprehend this, when there are so many who don't. But whatever God's reason, I am infinitely grateful that I am able to see and accept this. I did not deserve it, I believe there are people much better than me, who could do much more, but still I am grateful that I am within the ones that understand and accept His word as the total truth.
As Piper said on his book: "Keep in mind that you have no firm substance on this earth. You are as fragile as a mist. Keep in mind that you have no durability on this earth, for you appear "for a little while"- just a little while. Your time is short. And keep in mind that you will disappear. You will be gone, and life will go on without you. It matters that you keep this view of life in mind."
"It not only matters that you have a right view of life when you make your plans (because you are like a vapor), but it also matters that you have a right view of God as you make your plans. If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."
Our lives are not in our hands but in God's. It really doesn't matter if you are a christian or not. God has total control over everything that happens. When you are a christian the only thing is that you understand this and try to live for God, recognizing that your life belongs to Him and that He paid a price for you; and when you are not, you are so blind, that you think you have control over your own life, and that is why you are so miserable, because you were created to acknowledge God as the one in control. Because a life without God is just that, a miserable life. I recently read on the newspaper about a kid shooting some other kids and staff at a school in a city located in the northern area of Minnesota. Why would a 16-year old kid do that? I can't even start to imagine what was going thru his mind, but the thoughts being put there by satan, most have been awful. Our minds are battlegrounds for spiritual forces that are among us. Those kids that went to school that day, never even thought that was going to be the last day of their (very short, vapor-like, just for a little time and then vanishes) life.
So I give God thanks for every day that He gifts me with. Knowing that His mercy of today is not going to be the same one of yesterday, that they are new every morning. That there is still something for me to do, and I just pray that I can be sensitive enough to fulfill God's plan in my life. And that no matter what happens or how I feel, He will forever be in control.
It is incredible how our life here on earth is just that... a vapor. But people are living like if they had all the time in the world. Specially young people, they think they are invincible, that nothing will ever happen to them.
I would like to share a part of what I read on the book.
James 4:13-16: Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make profit"- yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
Verse 14 in another version: 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.
The author says that we are not the ones who decide, it's God who makes the final decision. If we think otherwise we are arrogant. It's like saying: "I am the one who has total control of my life and God has nothing to do with it." And that is the way most of the people think nowadays. It is kind of sad when you think about it and you wonder...why did you choose me to be able to see and comprehend this, when there are so many who don't. But whatever God's reason, I am infinitely grateful that I am able to see and accept this. I did not deserve it, I believe there are people much better than me, who could do much more, but still I am grateful that I am within the ones that understand and accept His word as the total truth.
As Piper said on his book: "Keep in mind that you have no firm substance on this earth. You are as fragile as a mist. Keep in mind that you have no durability on this earth, for you appear "for a little while"- just a little while. Your time is short. And keep in mind that you will disappear. You will be gone, and life will go on without you. It matters that you keep this view of life in mind."
"It not only matters that you have a right view of life when you make your plans (because you are like a vapor), but it also matters that you have a right view of God as you make your plans. If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."
Our lives are not in our hands but in God's. It really doesn't matter if you are a christian or not. God has total control over everything that happens. When you are a christian the only thing is that you understand this and try to live for God, recognizing that your life belongs to Him and that He paid a price for you; and when you are not, you are so blind, that you think you have control over your own life, and that is why you are so miserable, because you were created to acknowledge God as the one in control. Because a life without God is just that, a miserable life. I recently read on the newspaper about a kid shooting some other kids and staff at a school in a city located in the northern area of Minnesota. Why would a 16-year old kid do that? I can't even start to imagine what was going thru his mind, but the thoughts being put there by satan, most have been awful. Our minds are battlegrounds for spiritual forces that are among us. Those kids that went to school that day, never even thought that was going to be the last day of their (very short, vapor-like, just for a little time and then vanishes) life.
So I give God thanks for every day that He gifts me with. Knowing that His mercy of today is not going to be the same one of yesterday, that they are new every morning. That there is still something for me to do, and I just pray that I can be sensitive enough to fulfill God's plan in my life. And that no matter what happens or how I feel, He will forever be in control.
posted by Mary Gaby at
1:53 PM
2 Comments:
I'm glad you liked it! You see why Piper is my favorite writer?
By
Anonymous, at 9:43 AM
Good taste!!
By
Mary Gaby, at 4:54 PM
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