A Life Worthy

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 Friday, 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 Wednesday, 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, 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 Monday.

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

The traditional view of this verse it 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 certainly fits the context, and it’s what the 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, but still…

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

So, yes, I took the alternate translation here, recklessly casting aside the advice of the experts in order to follow my own feelings 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. Though if you do, the event will find its way into a blog post, make no mistake.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

You want something but don’t get it.  You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.  You quarrel and fight.  You do not have because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures  (James 4:2-3).

Wow…those folks were a mess.  Good thing we’re not in the least like that, right?

Yeah

Question for the day: what is it you want out of your Tuesday, and why?  OK, so that’s two questions, but go with it.  Are you looking to glorify God today, or merely to feather your own nest?  It’s so easy to forget why we’re here, so easy to focus on ourselves.  But that mindset–that looking out for Number One bit–pretty much leads to discontent, dissatisfaction, and disappointment.  It will never, not even ever, make you the person God has called you to be.

Hey, Beloved, don’t beat yourself up about it.  Just take a moment to step back, take a deep breath, and recommit.  Offer yourself to Christ all over again. Give your stress and worry to him; let him provide what you need.

Trust him.

That’s going to free you up to care about important stuff.  Kingdom stuff.

Whaddaya say, Beloved?  Let’s you and I give it a shot today, huh?

Happy Tuesday.