Page 32 - August 2025 - Truth & Tidings

" hereas ye know not what shall be our eternal destiny, either in heaven or in hell.
on the morrow. For what is your
Wlife? It is even a vapour, that ap- The Brevity of Life
peareth for a little time, and then vanisheth Throughout the Word of God, many
away” (Jas 4:14). 1 metaphors are used to describe the brevity
James was addressing individuals who of life. James compares it here to “a vapour.”
were living carelessly. They had business Many of us have seen the steam rise from
plans to “buy and sell, and get gain” (v13). the kettle as the water boiled. We stood and
The issue dealt with isn’t so much that plans watched as the vapour ascended, and very
were made, but that they boasted of their quickly vanished out of sight. That is the
plans, leaving the Lord out of the picture picture James is giving us. Our lives are so
altogether. It reminds us of the proverb short; we are here for a moment and then
written by Solomon, “Boast not thyself of gone forever.
tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day
may bring forth” (Pro 27:1). The Tragedy of Life
In such a setting, James reminds us of a To leave our short scene of time unpre-
vital question. He asks, “What is your life?” pared for the never-ending eternity is indeed
Then he mentions a vanishing existence. the greatest tragedy. The Saviour told of a
He states that our life “is a vapour, that … man in Luke 12 who tore down his barns to
vanisheth away.” Finally, there is a valued build greater, but like those in James 4, he
opportunity. James says that life “appeareth left God out of his plans. He was preparing
for a little time.” We must ask ourselves, “Am for time but not for eternity. God said to that
I ready for eternity?” man, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be
The Uncertainty of Life required of thee” (Luk 12:20). What of your
plans? Have you prepared to meet God?
One of the great realities of life is the fact
that it is so uncertain. We are all planners The Opportunity of Life
to some degree. Sometimes those plans This life of ours “that appeareth for a
are for the day before us, the week ahead, little time” is filled with opportunities, but
or even in the year to come, but none of us the greatest of these is to know Christ. For
is guaranteed our next breath. Accidents through knowing Him comes the forgive-
happen, illnesses strike, disasters come, and ness of sins. He dealt with our sins, when
unexpectedly so. While life is so uncertain, on the cross “Christ died for our sins” (1Co
death isn’t. The Bible reminds us that “it is 15:3), and God raised Him from the dead.
appointed unto men once to die, but after Any repentant sinner who trusts in Him as
this the judgment” (Heb 9:27). That is an ap- their Saviour receives the forgiveness of sins
pointment we will not miss, and it will seal and is fitted for heaven. “Behold, now is the

1 Bible quotations in this article are from the accepted time; behold, now is the day of
KJV. salvation” (2Co 6:2).