D.V.

I learnt these strange 2 letters in my first church.
I had a lovely man who was my usher.
But after every Sunday morning I would ask him, “Are you okay to welcome people into the church tonight Harry?” His reply was “Aye, D.V.”
It is the Initials of the Latin words Deo Volente, meaning God willing. I don’t think Harry knew any other Latin! Yet these 2 letters would put me in a spin during the afternoon wondering who would be on the door if D.V. was in the negative!
“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷ If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.”(James 4 v 13-17)

God knows. It is used often as a blasphemous response to not knowing ourselves what will happen. But it is true. This is what James is challenging the people on.

The plans had no mention of God and yet only He knows and we certainly do not. To boast of what is going to happen is to sit where God sits, just like when James said earlier regarding our judging of others. Dr Michael Moseley (TV presenter/author) went for a walk on his holiday and never came back. We could all create a list of celebrities and people we know who just didn’t know when they got out of bed it would either be their last or that it turned out the way it did. Death is closer to life than we realise. People can suppose a lot and yet they can be wrong. I remember a colleague giving his vision talk to his church and stating they would be a 500 strong church within 2 years. The church of 12 people were very excited to hear this even though they never saw it. The church are not there now.

We are living in times of the most amazing declarations. Themes for conferences are often presumptuous boasts to actually outdo the other conference across the road. They may mention God but they may not have checked beforehand to see if He approves.

D:Ream, a Northern Irish pop group had a number one song in 1994 with the title ‘Things can only get better’. I am sure if you know the song you have started to hum the tune right now!

I love these kind of opportune songs. The start of political conferences or presidential runs there are usually these kind of upbeat visionary songs that indeed things can only get better. The above was because ‘I’ve found you’ though they are usually played to firmly suggest ‘you’ve found me’!

Every Pastor and Church are familiar with vision statements, looking ahead to see what is before us, a time to imagine the impossibility becoming possible. But we are foolish to presume anything.

God is in charge. When you make plans are they flexible?
I love how Eugene Peterson puts it in the Message,
“Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.” v15.
I do love this! I like putting the onus on the Master.
I am content to say I am doing His will and if I survive I will do some more.

Remember the rich man story from Jesus who built bigger barns?

The ground of a rich man gave him an abundant harvest and so he took life easy.

The barns of the abundantly rich man were too small, so he worked only because he wanted to live for himself.

He built bigger barns for himself..

But he was a fool.

That night his life was taken from him too easily.

This rich man actually was a poor man.

Those who have most usually appear to have the least if they are only thinking of themselves.

Those who are powerful struggle to get on the floor.

Those who have done it all don’t usually do it now.

Those who treat others harshly have lost grace for their own lives.

Live for self and there is no legacy when life is soon over.

Instead of taking life easy make life easy for someone else and you will know what it is to be truly rich.

If you know what is good and you know you can do good, then do good. If you don’t it will be taken from you.

Deo Volente!