Don’t plan a future for the “clouds in your coffee”

If you’re from my era, the word picture of “clouds in my coffee” doesn’t bring to mind verses from the Bible.  Rather, my generation immediately hears Carly singing about the vanity of an unknown ex-boyfriend who probably thought the song was about him. (And, for the record he was right, it was about him).

But, long before Carly Simon, the Bible used the picture of clouds in our coffee to talk about the brevity of life; our years are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Would you read this passage aloud to yourself?

“ 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).”

One of the things that leaders do is plan for the future.  Indeed, we should be envisioning and thinking daily about where we will lead our families.  But this should always be done in a heart attitude of humble submission to God.  (D.V. !)

James cautions that those who presume that they can control their futures foolishly plan a future for the clouds in the coffee.  Why is it so hard to grasp that apart from God’s help, we are mists that appear for a little while and vanish?

Questions I need to consider:

  1. In what areas I tend to presumptuously plan apart from looking to God for His direction?  To the extent that I’m not praying, I am presuming.  So, how much am I praying about my plans for the future?
  2. Do I make a point of always praying with an attitude of submission –like a weaned child with its mother (Psalm 131:2) – – or, am I more like a demanding baby?
  3. What should I do today that I know God wants me to get done?

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P.S. My theory is that Carly was singing about James Taylor.

Published by Chris

5 thoughts on “Don’t plan a future for the “clouds in your coffee””

  2. A few weeks ago, I heard Jill Briscoe speaking on this topic. She said when she and Stuart were first married and on a visit to his hometown, she heard his mother and her friends saying “Deo volente” following any mention of future plans. Jill didn’t know what it meant at that time, but learned that presumably they prayed over all future plans and acknowledged these plans were “God willing”. I’d like to get a CD of that talk, Deo volente…

  5. I’ll add my two cents. In a radio interview, Carly Simon said the song was about her stormy relationship with Mick Jagger.

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