The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in James 1:4-5,
"Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."
If anything, this passage speaks to the "needy" condition we come into God's family with and God's willingness, his generosity, in meeting that need. In spite of any accomplishments we may have attained in this life, no matter the successes we have enjoyed in what ever pursuits we have chased, we all enter into the family of God as anything but "mature and complete".
We are loved by God, we have been pursued by God. In his wonderful grace he has reached out to us, providing the Son of his love as payment for our sins. He has expended the lives of many to reach all, including us, with the gospel message. With loving arms outstretched, he welcomes all into his family who will place their trust and faith in him. All this for people who are spiritually destitute, spiritually broken, a people who come from a race of beings that are in rebellion, enslaved to a sinful nature. A people, who coming into the family of God, are needing maturity and completeness.
James tells us here that God gives generously. The wisdom he provides to those of faith lends itself to bringing about the maturity and completeness we need. Later in his letter, James tells us what this wisdom looks like, "the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." James 3:17-18.
Apart from what God gives us, we would continue in a darkness, stumbling over what we do not see, what we do not understand. At Christmas time, the passage concerning the advent of the Son of God that touches my heart as one of the most dramatic is Isaiah 9:2,6-7, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned... For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." It is this very darkness that makes us so needy. It is this very light that dispels the darkness, brings about our adoption into God's family and brings about a much needed spiritual maturity and completeness to our lives.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment