Category: One-a-Day

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this of that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you don’t even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  (James 4:13-14)

“The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley.”–Robert Burns

I guess we’ve all had “agley” days, days when Life intrudes on our 

plans.  It’s annoying, and frustrating, and sometimes painful.

Somewhere out there is a man who is, quite literally, on his deathbed.  He is a young man, a good man, a man of God.  He had big plans for his future which did not in any way include cancer.

God’s plan did.  

So what, then?  Should we not make plans, since they can all go “Poof” in a heartbeat?  Should we live for the moment, wild and free and heedless of the future?

Uh, no.  ‘Cause we have mortgages and kids that really like regular meals.

That’s not where James is going here.  He’s just reminding us that our plans, like every other aspect of our lives, belong to God.  If we get caught up in working for the future, we gamble on a tomorrow that we may not get.

You have today, Beloved.  

You have now.

Spend it well.

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy.    But you–who are you to judge your neighbor? (James 4:12)

This is another one of those passages that serves as a mirror of my relationship with Christ.  When I am in a good place, when I am in submission to his will and trusting in his love for me, I can grant a hearty “Amen!” to this verse.  When I am out of sorts, getting a little fleshy–well, this one gets under my skin.  I mean, to admit that God is God and I am not?  Grrrr…..

‘Cause I’m excellent at judging and I know stuff and I’m in pretty good shape to judge if you look past a few flaws in my character and why are you looking at flaws in my character anyway what are you judging me who are you to judge only God can judge and…

Oh, yeah.

Take a good look in the mirror this morning, Beloved.

Happy Friday.

Brothers, do not slander one another.  Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it  (James 4:11).

I teach middle school.

I understand slander

and judgment

and “roasting.”

It seems to be the go-to behavior among middle schoolers to attack–even the people they like. It’s the way I always pictured piranha going after a water buffalo.

A cry, 

a frenzied swarm, 

and then only bones.

But they are children. That’s not an excuse, but it is a fact. Children can be the least compassionate people on the planet. Why else do they find it hilarious when someone walks into the only basketball pole on an acre of blacktop?

They are children.

We are not.

We are called by the Lord of Everything to grow up. We have been given a law–”Love your neighbor as yourself.”

It’s a law worth following, Beloved.

So…

Happy Thursday

Grieve, mourn, and wail.  Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up (James 4:9-10).

If you don’t, he will.

Humble you.

You see, God is best able to use you when you are totally dependant upon, totally trusting in, him.  And he wants to use you for great things.  He wants to be glorified in you and through you, that this sinful, broken world may see his power and his mercy and the tenderness of his love demonstrated to you, for you, by you.

So you gotta be humble.

Aaaaand, we’re back to your choice.

When you humble yourself, you demonstrate an attitude of selfless reliance upon God.  You acknowledge you sin and weakness, and you trust yourself completely to his mercy and strength.  It is a beautiful thing.

When God humbles you, it is not beautiful.  It is not pretty.

Does the name Samson ring any bells?  Hmmm?

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (James 4:8b).

I’m not double-minded.

OK, sometimes I am.

Well, no I’m not…eh, maybe a little.

And a sinner?  Hey, just look at me and see if you think I’m a sinner!

Oh..

At first read, this verse is obviously about others

until I stop

and listen

to the ongoing war

in my soul. 

until I do wash my hands

and see

the filth

that I just can’t scrub away.

Oh Lord, please step in

again

and do what I can not do for myself.

Amen?

Amen

Happy Tuesday, Beloved

Come near to God, and he will come near to you (James 4:8a).

Again with the “Will.”

God doesn’t flirt.  He doesn’t play games.  He doesn’t write a “Do you like me? Check this box” note in crayon and have his friend hand it to you at recess.

Like I may or may not have done with Michelle Flores in the 5th grade.  

And she may or may not have drawn her own big fat giant “NO” box on the paper and checked it, like, seventeen times in red Crayola.

Give me a moment here.  Some scars run deep.

The point is, God is a God of “Will.”  You don’t have to be afraid that he will run out on you or mess with your mind or take the cheap shot or use your vulnerability against you.  He’s only ever always going to love you.

You’re the Beloved, remember?

So take a breath, take a moment, and draw near.

Happy Monday, Beloved

Submit yourselves, then, to God (James 4:7a).

I hate that word, “Submit.”  It sounds like I’m putting myself under someone else’s authority.

Oh.

It’s a scary thing, this submission.  By obeying God, I’m giving up power and authority and the ability to command my own destiny and call the shots and be captain of my fate and master of my soul–

What’s that, Beloved?  You say that all that “I did it my way” business is illusion, that when I think I’m in control it’s really the world, the flesh, and the devil who are pulling my strings?  You say that I’m bound to serve someone, and that there’s only one someone worth trusting with my obedience? That would be the One who has demonstrated, time and again, that he loves me and really, truly, knows what’s best?  You say that is the One I should give my life, my love, my service to–every day, every hour, every minute?

Wow, Beloved–you’re a smart one.

Happy Thursday.

But he gives us more grace (James 4:6).

Look back through the verses we’ve covered lately.  They don’t paint a very pretty picture of mankind.  Selfish, violent, hedonistic, adulterous–we are a pretty pathetic bunch of flesh.  And how does God respond?  Does he smack us with a rock?  Does he snap his fingers and turn each of us into a puff of fluff?  Does he withdraw his Spirit and disown us?

He gives us more grace.

Seriously?

But I didn’t deserve the first measure of grace.  Or the second.  Or… 

Beloved, I will never understand.

But I accept.

And rejoice

Happy Wednesday

Or do you think the Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? (James 4:5)

There are two ways to read this verse. One traditional view of this verse is that James is talking about our soul here, the “spirit” God put within us at creation.  He’s basically confirming that we are jealous at heart, constantly dissatisfied and longing for what we do not have.  That fits the passage, and it’s what many  translators think is the original intent.

But…I dunno…

Another reading of this verse capitalizes the word “Spirit” and renders “envies intensely” as “longs jealously.”  In this view, James is talking about the Holy Spirit, whom the Father has caused to live in every believer.  He is reminding us that our God gets really possessive when it comes to his relationship with us.

As a young teenager, I knew an adult married couple who boasted of their “Open relationship.”  It was the first time I had ever heard of that concept.  I wasn’t a Christian yet, but the idea that two people would pledge to remain faithful to each other–except when they didn’t feel like it–made me truly uncomfortable. Granted, both spouses were woefully unattractive, so I figured the whole point was moot. Still…

Beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ does not do open relationships.

So, yes, I took the second translation here, recklessly casting aside the advice of experts  in order to follow my own thoughts on the nature of God.  I promise I’m not trying to start a cult.  If perchance you see me in the street today, please do not scream “Heretic” and throw fruit and shoes at me. 

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.