James: Lessons in Love
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
We have spent several weeks reflecting on James’s letter to the people of his day and to us in our own day. We have spent a number of weeks exploring his themes and sifting through his lessons. Some of our encounters with James make us uncomfortable. We are not always willing to step out of comfort zones and into a newness that tempts but does not guarantee. We are too often content with our harvest of the obvious before us and too often afraid to imagine the harvest of hope that God asks us to undertake.
Other encounters with James bring a quiet understanding of God’s voice we hear in the precision and honesty of James’ words. We have felt Christ’s presence in the strength of James’ verses. We have been visited by the Spirit as we dwell in the wisdom of these Lessons in Love. Today we take time to gather these teachings and pledge to make them an active influence in our lives.
When we choose a Lesson in Love and decide to live it for the next month in our lives, what new possibility will open for us?
Chapter 1: The Value of Obstacles – the barriers we encounter are lessons in finding our inner strength in God.
Chapter 2: The Value of Balance – the extremes we experience are lessons in learning to balance God’s joy with the difficulties of the world.
Chapter 3: The Value of Living Wisely, Justly and Well – our words and actions indicate the quality of our discipleship in Christ.
Chapter 4: The Value of Turmoil – the storms and upheaval we meet are lessons in faith and hope in Christ.
Chapter 5: The Value of Patience – our common practices and plain speech are lessons in love and life in Christ.
And so we pray . . . Wise, Gentle, Balanced, Patient and Loving Jesus, continue to shepherd us as we take on your lessons in love. Speak to us clearly through the words of your servant James. Live in us daily through the power of your redeeming Spirit. Amen.
We might bookmark and re-visit this post when we are ready to enact another Lesson in Love as shown to us by James.
Tomorrow, our abundant helper . . .
For notes on this letter, visit: http://www.usccb.org/bible/james/0
Images from: http://www.readthespirit.com/bookstore/books/ian-flemings-seven-deadlier-sins/more/c1/the-book-of-james-new-testament/ and http://bibledude.net/epistle-of-james-project-wordles/ and http://michaeljkruger.com/why-we-need-the-book-of-james-in-the-new-testament-canon/ and https://www.youracc.org/sermons/faith-perseveres-james-a-faith-to-live-by-11-18/
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