I said yesterday that I plan about 10 months in advance. But each day goes a bit chaotic. Consider yesterday: my sons had to meet with their maternal grandfather: my ex-wife went to the wrong pick-up point, and I got the message to pick them up about two hours earlier than I expected, while visiting what used to be my favourite cafe in Auckland.

We simply cannot assume that what we plan or what is predicted will happen. It may not: things change. And on a day when one does plan to fly home, this text is a little sobering.

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.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

(James 4:13-17 ESV)

I do not think that saying “If the LORD wills” implies that the bolts will tighten themselves, that we can neglect maintenance, or that we should not be organized. I would argue the opposite: we should do all we can to plan, so we can do what we know is right, for doing otherwise is sin.

Our faith is not merely talk or thinking. It requires we remain when there is no reward apparent and we are being told that the very Bible is badthink. Because it does not allow us to feel good about ourselves.

As if we have deluded ourselves and consider we are without sin.

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

(James 5:7-11 ESV)

The opposition to Christianity is obvious: the elite are using the Muslims as shock troops, and the Muslims are letting them, knowing they can subvert the elite. But this is obvious: evil has a tendency to make one stupid.

We cannot be like that. We must remain steadfast.

Regardless of the season, and regardless of how much our plans get shredded.