The "Undo" Button

January 1

If you use a computer on a regular basis you will be familiar with the term, "Undo." The "Undo" button is a handy tool when working with photo manipulation, word processing or any other computer process for that matter. If you make a mistake you merely click the "Undo Button" and TA-DA! you go back in time to fix your problems. That little tool has corrected many a grave blunder on my part.

In case you hadn't noticed life has no "Undo" button. I would like it to at times. Like when I've just said something that I shouldn't have said or when I've wasted a bunch of time or when I haven't done something that I know that the Lord wanted me to do, I would like to hit the "Undo" button and have a fresh start.

Though life has no such button and we cannot count on tomorrow, New Years day is a type of "Undo" option. January's enthusiastic beginning offers a clean slate.

James in his principle packed epistle tells us about the brevity and uncertainty of our earthly journey when he warns, Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away (James 4.13,14).

His instruction is terse: We don't know what lies ahead nor do we really know how long we'll live. Our lives, no matter how long our sojourn, are like the screaming vapor escaping the spout of a teapot on the scorching fire; gone in an instant.

With no "Undo button" how should we approach this fleeting New Year? With prayer on our lips! James goes on, For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. (James 4.15-16).

As we begin this new year let's remember that every hope, every plan, every goal, every resolution and every dream must be bathed in a humble prayer of recognition that God have His way in our lives. We must never make rash statements about our future but must always remember that our days are in God's hand and our desires must be in line with our His desires. Boasting about future plans is sin.

James adds a new perspective to our New Year when he says, Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin (v.17).

Let's dedicate ourselves to this task as we enter this new year opportunity. Let's avoid those "Undo" button moments and look for those "good" things that we won't want to undo.

Prayer: Father, "I place my new year in your will. Help me to do good as You open those opportunities."
Verse: Proverbs 27.1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.