James addresses these verses to the rich, nonbelieving who were known to persecute the economically hurting Christ followers of this time. “Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire” (James 5:3). “You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter” (James 5:5). These verses remind me of the emptiness of those who are not following Christ. The lies they’re being told and the lies that fool me, too. Those careless, thoughtless actions hold no worth in comparison to the freedom I reside in with knowing Christ. Luckily, knowing Christ has no exclusivity, and I pray that those of you who are wrestling with those uncertainties have the courage to seek answers Christ has to offer.
These next verses are addressed to believers, saying patience is a must with steadfastness, with unwavering determination. James reminds us of Job. For those of you who haven’t read the book of Job, I highly consider it. If you think you have it rough, check what God put this guy through to prove his unwavering determination to The Lord. And with this faith, let us be faithful in our prayer. Some of my favorite prayers are in Ephesians.
“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has call you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:16-18)
“For his reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:14-19).
What Paul is praying about in both of those prayers are his fellow believers in Ephesus. In the first prayer, he prays that we may have a spirit of wisdom, the eyes of your heart enlightened, and to know the hope to what God has called you to. This seems plausible that Paul would want us to strive. Now, in the second prayer, what Paul is basically praying for his fellow believers is that we can experience God in a way that is plainly impossible. Paul is praying that we may comprehend God’s love, which is incomprehensible. What’s the point? You can measure your faith by the boldness of your prayers. Paul isn’t praying for cupcakes, he’s praying for the impossible, which with God is nothing but.
James 5:17 talks about Elijah and his bold prayers. It says Elijah prayed so passionately for drought and it didn’t rain anywhere on the earth for 3 and a half year. In verse 18 it says he prayed again and heaven gave rain. Elijah had the confidence in God that He would provide. I want to have the steadfastness of Job and the boldness of Elijah.
Like every book in the bible, James gives us guidance on how to live our lives. Explore what God has for you to see and be steadfast as you chase after it.
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