The Pilgrim Path---James 4: 13 – 15 

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 a 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.”

“WHAT IS YOUR LIFE?”

A dear lady reached me at the church office (this was almost 30 years ago). Just after 9 am. Jeanette wanted me to know that she had been working some extra hours---that’s why I had not seen her at church. Her labors involved her being a home “angel” with folk at night. She was trained as a nurse and enjoyed keeping “clients” company in the evening (most of whom were semi-bed-ridden). She was a pleasant individual. Her hope was to eventually get back to Chillicothe, Illinois. The long spells of heat and humidity in Central Mississippi were just too much for her (she was 63 years old---and looking forward to colder winters). Her simple confidence in the Gospel was always encouraging.

Perhaps you can begin to understand how utterly shocked I was when just before 2 pm---that same day---a Funeral Director called me asking if, “I would be prepared to conduct Ms. Jeanette’s funeral service in about two days?” Of course--- I said, “I beg your pardon?” He said, “Ms. Jeanette has died.” My---My…Seems her son had tried to call her that morning. All he got was a “busy signal.” He kept calling. He decided to drive over to her house. Well, her car was there? He knocked at the door. No response. He used his key to go inside. He found his dear Mother---in bed, on top of her phone. She had been making calls. She had a heart attack. The coroner indicated that Jeanette “died just about instantly.”

Absent from the body---present with the Lord…

“What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4: 14b

---If you need to trust Christ---Do it now

---If you need to ask someone’s forgiveness---Do it now

---If you need to start serving---Do it now

---If you need to stop lying---Do it now

---If you need to stop blaming others---Do it now

---If you need to stop agitating---Do it now

---If you need to start encouraging---Do it now

---If you need to stop making excuses---Do it now

---If you need to stop complaining---Do it now

---If you need to start giving---Do it now

---If you need to start praying daily---Do it now

---If you need to start praising---Do it now

Grace and Peace in Jesus, the Only Redeemer of broken and wretched souls, Pastor Jason