I recently bought a new Bible. I must admit it was hard to let go of my old one, the one given to me by my guys in 2001, each of them signing on the "Presented By" page. At the time they were 12, 10, & 4 years old. Never again will they sign their names quite like those young hands did that day. Needless to say, their handwritten signatures are very precious to me in the front cover of that Bible.
This Bible is the one I've held tightly to for the past 10 years. The one that is all marked up in the margins. The one that has brought me unspeakable comfort and strength in the midst of life; and, as I transition to my unmarked, new Bible I have to wonder what great journey God and I will walk as He leads me through the truths upon it's pages.
Already, I'm finding myself captured anew by His great love and mercy for us. His Truth is just leaping from the pages and setting my heart aflame with fresh love for Him and fresh insight from Him. He absolutely stuns me with His greatness! What a mighty God we serve! What a tender, compassionate Father we adore! There is no one like Him. And, His Word ~ so alive and active in us!
So, for the past couple of mornings I have been reading in James. I began in James 5 because of a verse printed on the bottom of my journal page that caught my eye. After looking that verse up I decided to read the entire chapter and then the entire book of James. Today I read chapter 2 ... it begins like this ....
Now, I realize that this verse was written to believers. I know this because it is addressed to the "brethren". And I know that James is talking about favoritism being shown one to another. A horizontal kind of favoritism. You know, showing partiality by judging a person based on where they live, or what they drive, or how much money they do or do not make. Society says to love the beautiful and despise the unattractive; to listen to the successful and disregard the less fortunate. It's a very sad reality in life. But, nope. Don't do it. Don't judge the book by it's cover. Resist that urge!
I think the heart of the matter is really the matter of the heart. I started to think about what it really looks like in us and what the far reaching implications really are of "holding our faith ... with an attitude of personal favoritism" if we do so in view of what God has done for us. You know, like thinking we somehow deserved, above others, the grace and mercy, the salvation and deliverance of our great God.
You see, this verse is talking about the way we treat others based on how much we think they deserve His grace, by measuring their worth ... that's where the judgment comes in. Seems like we may have forgotten the grace we ourselves have received and when we forget that then we are in danger of treating others based on how much we think we deserve His grace. Ah! Now there's a sobering thought and it's not rocket science. It's just another way of looking at what James is saying. I'm talking about a heart check here, I'm talking about humility here because there's a lot of puffed up Christians who think they have the corner market on God's favoritism.
But, God doesn't show partiality. He does not have favorites and He won't take a bribe. Thinking He does, and even more, thinking that I am (or you are) one of his personal favorites will only lead to arrogance. Likewise, thinking I'm not special enough to be loved by Him will lead me to despair when the hard times come.
It's true He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. But that's blessing, not favoritism. We are the head and not the tail. But that's identity & position, not favoritism. He has rescued us from darkness and brought us into His marvelous light. But that's deliverance and salvation, not favoritism. He is our righteousness. But that's mercy and grace, not favoritism.
These things I've mentioned are just a few examples of Favor, Divine Favor, born in the heart of a Father that loves each and every one of us with such a lavish and personal love. Every good and perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father ...
Until the whole world knows,
Cindy K
This Bible is the one I've held tightly to for the past 10 years. The one that is all marked up in the margins. The one that has brought me unspeakable comfort and strength in the midst of life; and, as I transition to my unmarked, new Bible I have to wonder what great journey God and I will walk as He leads me through the truths upon it's pages.
Already, I'm finding myself captured anew by His great love and mercy for us. His Truth is just leaping from the pages and setting my heart aflame with fresh love for Him and fresh insight from Him. He absolutely stuns me with His greatness! What a mighty God we serve! What a tender, compassionate Father we adore! There is no one like Him. And, His Word ~ so alive and active in us!
So, for the past couple of mornings I have been reading in James. I began in James 5 because of a verse printed on the bottom of my journal page that caught my eye. After looking that verse up I decided to read the entire chapter and then the entire book of James. Today I read chapter 2 ... it begins like this ....
My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious
Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.
James 2:1 (nasb)
Now, I realize that this verse was written to believers. I know this because it is addressed to the "brethren". And I know that James is talking about favoritism being shown one to another. A horizontal kind of favoritism. You know, showing partiality by judging a person based on where they live, or what they drive, or how much money they do or do not make. Society says to love the beautiful and despise the unattractive; to listen to the successful and disregard the less fortunate. It's a very sad reality in life. But, nope. Don't do it. Don't judge the book by it's cover. Resist that urge!
I think the heart of the matter is really the matter of the heart. I started to think about what it really looks like in us and what the far reaching implications really are of "holding our faith ... with an attitude of personal favoritism" if we do so in view of what God has done for us. You know, like thinking we somehow deserved, above others, the grace and mercy, the salvation and deliverance of our great God.
You see, this verse is talking about the way we treat others based on how much we think they deserve His grace, by measuring their worth ... that's where the judgment comes in. Seems like we may have forgotten the grace we ourselves have received and when we forget that then we are in danger of treating others based on how much we think we deserve His grace. Ah! Now there's a sobering thought and it's not rocket science. It's just another way of looking at what James is saying. I'm talking about a heart check here, I'm talking about humility here because there's a lot of puffed up Christians who think they have the corner market on God's favoritism.
But, God doesn't show partiality. He does not have favorites and He won't take a bribe. Thinking He does, and even more, thinking that I am (or you are) one of his personal favorites will only lead to arrogance. Likewise, thinking I'm not special enough to be loved by Him will lead me to despair when the hard times come.
It's true He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. But that's blessing, not favoritism. We are the head and not the tail. But that's identity & position, not favoritism. He has rescued us from darkness and brought us into His marvelous light. But that's deliverance and salvation, not favoritism. He is our righteousness. But that's mercy and grace, not favoritism.
These things I've mentioned are just a few examples of Favor, Divine Favor, born in the heart of a Father that loves each and every one of us with such a lavish and personal love. Every good and perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father ...
The word Favor, in the Old Testament, comes from the Hebrew word "chen" ~ in the New Testament, it comes from the Greek word charis. Both words mean "unmerited favor or regard in God's sight; graciousness, grace, acceptance, precious, to show pity"
Favor compels us to fall to our knees & bless Almighty God for His gracious love.
Favor compels us to rise from our beds in the morning with thankful hearts.
Favor walks with us through the uncertainties of life ... for He is with us.
Favor springs fresh hope into our weary souls ... for He is our hope.
Favor is not defined by everything going right in our lives nor is it diminished just because I'm in a battle. Favor is that which humbly says, "I am His. He has chosen me. I am precious in His sight. He loves me like none other can."
Knowing these simple truths will cause us to bow the knee to One so great! To cling to His unmerited favor in our lives which is way better than depending on favoritism anyway! And in so doing I feel quite sure we will end up looking at those around us with fresh eyes, humble eyes and a fresh compassion that causes us to invite them into this wonderful relationship with the heavenly Father. A relationship full of favor, not favoritism.
Now, fellow "grasshoppers", go about your day and frolick in the beautiful favor of the One "who sits above the circle of the earth" (Isaiah 40:22) and bring someone along with you! I promise they are worth it! The Father loves me, you and them!
Until the whole world knows,
Cindy K
No comments:
Post a Comment