retweeting jesus | friday | june 20 James 1:16-18 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. In the midst of trials and temptations, which James addresses earlier in his book, we sometimes doubt the goodness of God. Perhaps this is why James raises this important topic at this point in his letter. He warns us against being deceived--which sometimes happens, especially when times get hard. During those times, we can forget the truth. Good things in our lives come from God. James writes, “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” When James describes the origin of these gifts, he compares God’s character to the heavens. God, who is the source of every good and perfect gift (v. 17), created stars and planets, which are heavenly lights. Those heavenly lights are similar to God because they are fixed and constant in the sky. God’s goodness is fixed and faithful like the stars in the night sky. God demonstrates His goodness by saving people. James again uses the image of childbirth. Unlike the negative illustration of childbirth seen in yesterday’s devotion, this birth is a positive picture. Followers of Christ are people who have been reborn spiritually through the “word of truth” (James 1:18), or the message about Christ (Romans 10:17). Those of us who have placed our trust in Jesus Christ have been reborn spiritually and are now part of the “firstfruits” of God. This is a reference to the first portion of a harvest. In the midst of trials and temptations, which the Bible is clear Christians will face, we can rest in knowing that the good things in our lives are from God. The greatest of these gifts from our heavenly Father is the gift of eternal life, which He provides to those who believe in Jesus to be made right with God. @daily prayer: O God, thank you for your faithfulness, which is fixed like the stars in the sky. And thank you for your goodness, which you demonstrate to us in everyday gifts but especially in the gift of spiritual rebirth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Posted on: Fri, 20 Jun 2014 11:03:13 +0000