Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit." You don't even know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are a bit of smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes. Instead, you should say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." (James 4:13-15, CSB)
You may say to yourself, 'My power and my own ability have gained this wealth for me,' but remember that the LORD your God gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant He swore to your fathers, as it is today. (Dt 8:17-18, CSB)
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Father, how tiny am I compared to you? If it were not for your compassion and care, I would be nothing. I could not even exist. Without your will, I cannot live another day. Yet, my sinful nature wants to be self-determined. I cannot even know whether I will survive my drive to work today, and yet I want to be in charge of my next decades.
Through your Spirit, help me to live my life for you and through you. Help me to always recognize that you are in control and I owe everything to you. Even when I plan and work hard, success is ultimately from you. And when I plan and work hard, but do not succeed, even that is from you. And in those cases, help me rejoice and celebrate, even in failure, knowing that in all things you are glorified and in all things, you are working for my good. For all things work for the goof of those who love you and are called according to your purposes. So, whether in success or tragedy, your people can look up with pleasure at you, trusting you and glorifying you.
Give me the strength and wisdom to enter the world each morning as an ambassador for Christ and your glory. May I be faithful to you and witness to the world the great pleasure, the fullness, that comes from life in you.
I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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