계획과 섭리(PLANS AND PROVIDENCE)

💙 계획과 섭리

 ✝  야고보서 4:13 - 4:17 

“ 주의 뜻이면 우리가 살기도 하고 이것이나 저것을 하리라 “[야고보서 4:15]

2000년에 영화 대여 우편 시스템을 운영하던 한 신생 회사는 당시 영화와 비디오게임 대여 시장을 장악했던 블록버스터에게 5천만 달러에 회사를 매각하겠다고 제안했습니다. 당시 넷플릭스의 가입자는 약 30만 명이었고, 블록버스터는 수백만 명의 가입자를 보유하고 있었습니다. 하지만 블록버스터는 그 작은 경쟁사를 사들일 기회를 그냥 흘려버렸습니다. 결과는 어떻게 되었을까요? 
오늘날 넷플릭스는 가입자가 1억 8천만 명 이상 되고 그 가치가 거의 2천억 달러에 이르지만, 블록버스터는 빈털터리가 되고 말았습니다. 

미래를 예측할 수 있는 사람은 아무도 없습니다. 우리는 자신의 삶을 통제하고 있으며 미래에 대한 계획도 성공할 거라고 믿고 싶어 하지만, 야고보는 “너희는 잠깐 보이다가 없어지는 안개”(4:14)라고 말합니다. 인생은 우리가 흔히 아는 것보다 짧고 빠르며 더 연약합니다. 계획을 세우는 것은 필요하지만 우리에게 통제권이 있다고 가정하는 것은 섣부른 판단입니다. “그러한 자랑은 다 악한 것”이기 때문에 야고보가 “[우리의] 허탄한 자랑”을 하지 말라고 경고하고 있는 것입니다(16절).

이 악한 행실을 피하는 방법은 감사하는 마음으로 하나님의 일에 참여하는 것입니다. 감사할 때 우리는 온갖 “좋은 은사와 온전한 선물”(1:17) 의 원천이 주님이라는 사실을 잊지 않게 됩니다. 그렇게 되면 우리가 하나님께 나아갈 때 단지 현재와 미래의 우리 계획만 축복해 달라고 간구하지 않고 우리도 하나님께서 하시는 일에 동참하게 해달라고 간구하게 됩니다. “주의 뜻이면”(4:15)이라고 기도하는 것은 바로 이런 의미입니다

-----------------------------
어떻게 자신의 삶을 통제하고 싶다는 유혹을 느낍니까? 
하나님께 순복하고 그분께 동참한다는 것은 어떤 의미입니까?

<사랑하는 예수님, 저의 계획을 주님께 내어놓습니다. 실패가 없으신 주님을 신뢰할 수 있도록 도와주소서.>

*************************
[야고보서 4:13 - 4:17]
13. ○들으라 너희 중에 말하기를 오늘이나 내일이나 우리가 어떤 도시에 가서 거기서 일 년을 머물며 장사하여 이익을 보리라 하는 자들아
14. 내일 일을 너희가 알지 못하는도다 너희 생명이 무엇이냐 너희는 잠깐 보이다가 없어지는 안개니라
15. 너희가 도리어 말하기를 주의 뜻이면 우리가 살기도 하고 이것이나 저것을 하리라 할 것이거늘
16. 이제도 너희가 허탄한 자랑을 하니 그러한 자랑은 다 악한 것이라
17. 그러므로 사람이 선을 행할 줄 알고도 행하지 아니하면 죄니라

---

💙 PLANS AND PROVIDENCE

 ✝   4:13 - 4:17 

“ If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that. “[ JAMES 4:15 ]

In 2000, an upstart company operating on a movie-rental-by- mail system offered to sell their company for $50 million to Blockbuster, the home movies and video game rentals king at that time. Netflix had roughly 300,000 subscribers, while Blockbuster had millions and millions of them. Blockbuster passed on the opportunity to purchase their little competitor. The result? Today Netflix has more than 180 million subscribers and is worth nearly $200 billion. As for Blockbuster, well . . . it went bust. 

None of us can predict the future. We’re tempted to believe that we’re in control of our lives and that our plans for  the future will succeed. But James says, “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (4:14). Life is brief, quick, and more fragile than we often realize. Planning is necessary, but the sin of presumption is in the assumption that we’re in control. That’s why James warns us not to “boast in [our] arrogant schemes,” for “all such boasting is evil” (V. 16).

The way to avoid this sinful practice is through grateful participation with God. Gratitude reminds us that He’s the  source of every “good and perfect gift” (1:17). Then when we come to God, we ask Him not to simply bless our present and future plans but to help us join Him in what He’s doing. This is what it means to pray, “If it is the Lord’s will” (4:15). 
-GLENN PACKIAM

------------------------------
How are you tempted to be in control of your life? What will it mean for you to surrender to God and participate  with Him?

<Dear Jesus, I relinquish my plans to You.
Help me to put my trust in You, because You never fail.>

**************************
[James 4:13 - 4:17]
13. Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and  engage in business and make a profit."
14. Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are [ just] a vapor that appears for a little while  and then vanishes away.
15. Instead, [you ought] to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that."
16. But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.
17. Therefore, to one who knows [the] right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.