Text: James 1:2-4
My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.
Sometimes things connect without much intention. Last week I was quoting Paul Tillich abouut "joy" and here in these opening verses from James, "joy" reappears. When we stand within that wonder-filled place in which God's affirmation, God's "Yes" to us, sinks in, we are able to stand in whatever trials may face us. Tillich said, Joy is the emotional expression of the courageous YES to one's own trur being. I would emphasize that there is no greater YES than the one offered to us by God for it is a YES that is not based on anything we have done or anything we plan on doing. It is the beginning YES that will also be the ending YES. With that kind of affirmation, we can be held up and in being held up in the middle of our trials, we do develope a sense of endurance because we can always go back to God's YES for us in each new moment - even in defeat...therefore we endure into the next moment! Maturity in the faith is not a issue of the amount of faith I have. Rather, it is the simple acknowledgement of the the place that is my starting point in any day and any moment - God's YES. Where it would be easy to fall into the trap of evaluating myself trying to figure out how I can somehow make more of myself in the middle of my life, maturity in the faith reminds us to stand in the place that we are and that will be enough - we will lack nothing. In that place, we may just be the best gift to the world around us.
Connection: Testing of our faith takes place in each and every encounter of our day. It is not as though there is a "evaluator" looking down at us and throwing "tests" in front of us to see how we will do and then grading us on our performance. Rather, each moment of our lives are filled with the opportunity to live as blessed children of God - to be followers of Jesus in the Reign of God - now. There is no scorekeeper...this is not a game. RAther than ask ourselves what we must do...we would find ourselves more in tune with our status as God's children to simple ask "how will I be me - God's beloved - in this moment." Then, with a leap into who God promises we are in God's sight, we face any trial the day may bring. Each moment...an opportunity to be God's beloved.
Loving and Gracious God, in your Son, Jesus, you gave us a vision of life embraced by you and lived joyously in your name. Remind us throughout this day that it is you who will be our sustaining and comforting way of life for us as we encounter each and every aspect of our life within your blessd Reign. Amen.
Sometimes things connect without much intention. Last week I was quoting Paul Tillich abouut "joy" and here in these opening verses from James, "joy" reappears. When we stand within that wonder-filled place in which God's affirmation, God's "Yes" to us, sinks in, we are able to stand in whatever trials may face us. Tillich said, Joy is the emotional expression of the courageous YES to one's own trur being. I would emphasize that there is no greater YES than the one offered to us by God for it is a YES that is not based on anything we have done or anything we plan on doing. It is the beginning YES that will also be the ending YES. With that kind of affirmation, we can be held up and in being held up in the middle of our trials, we do develope a sense of endurance because we can always go back to God's YES for us in each new moment - even in defeat...therefore we endure into the next moment! Maturity in the faith is not a issue of the amount of faith I have. Rather, it is the simple acknowledgement of the the place that is my starting point in any day and any moment - God's YES. Where it would be easy to fall into the trap of evaluating myself trying to figure out how I can somehow make more of myself in the middle of my life, maturity in the faith reminds us to stand in the place that we are and that will be enough - we will lack nothing. In that place, we may just be the best gift to the world around us.
Connection: Testing of our faith takes place in each and every encounter of our day. It is not as though there is a "evaluator" looking down at us and throwing "tests" in front of us to see how we will do and then grading us on our performance. Rather, each moment of our lives are filled with the opportunity to live as blessed children of God - to be followers of Jesus in the Reign of God - now. There is no scorekeeper...this is not a game. RAther than ask ourselves what we must do...we would find ourselves more in tune with our status as God's children to simple ask "how will I be me - God's beloved - in this moment." Then, with a leap into who God promises we are in God's sight, we face any trial the day may bring. Each moment...an opportunity to be God's beloved.
Loving and Gracious God, in your Son, Jesus, you gave us a vision of life embraced by you and lived joyously in your name. Remind us throughout this day that it is you who will be our sustaining and comforting way of life for us as we encounter each and every aspect of our life within your blessd Reign. Amen.
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