Devotional - August 3, 2022

James 1:1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.

I remember being challenged once to read the book of James once a week for a month.  They said, there are five chapters, so you can read one chapter each day, Monday through Friday.  It was a good challenge and it certainly proved challenging.  Not the reading so much as what I read.  James is straight to the point.  His writing, his letter, is along the lines of wisdom literature.  He is calling all who read it to a higher standard of living because of his love for the Lord and for the people with whom he is writing.  It is widely believed that James was the younger brother of Jesus.  Paul refers to him as being one of the pillars of the Jerusalem community (Gal 2:9).  And rightly so, James served on the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15: 13-21).  Paul, himself, on his final visit to Jerusalem sought his advice ( Acts 21:18).  And in the end, James was martyred in Jerusalem for the cause of Christ.  What was it like to be Jesus' little brother?  There are some who would quickly remind us that everyone is Jesus' brother (Mark 3:31-35, Matthew 12:46-50, Luke 8:19-21).  When doing so, they are selective in what they claim from Jesus' teaching.  Especially, when their intent is to diminish Jesus' identity in their lives.  It makes us wonder why would Jesus say such a thing?  Why would He say, He is our brother, knowing what people would do with His words?  The context of the texts I referred to shows us what He was doing.   He was challenging the idea that only those at the gate, who were trying to stop His ministry, were His family.  Jesus extends that relationship as an invitation to all who do the will of God.  His Kingdom is not administered through edicts and hierarchy, but instead through familial ways of relating to one another.  But, I think there is more to it.  In relating to Jesus, we know that He is God and all that goes with it.  So how can we link that with James and Jesus literally being his older Brother?  Or maybe even, Jesus being your older Brother?  I say "your older brother", because if you're reading this, I think I can safely say you are seeking to fulfill the will of God in your life.  I know some will read what follows and say it does not reflect their family situation.  If that is true, then read on in the spirit of what I refer to as being the ideal of what Jesus referred to in the text.  One has a special relationship with their older brother.  They understand you better than most.  They understand your situation because they share your lot both within and outside of your family.  When you talk with them, they get what you are saying.  Jesus wants us to know He is there for us.  He understands our lot both as one who is in the Kingdom of God and living their life here and now on earth.  We can still entrust our life with Him as one would an eldest brother.  In their time, He would be the one who would inherit everything from Your father and would then be responsible for the family (John 3:31-36).

Pray with me...  Holy God, though You are holy, You are close to us.  You call us to share our deepest thoughts with You, ...to trust You ...to rest in You.  We confess it is hard to do.  There is so much we do not understand or agree with.  Take what trust we can give, bless it, and may it continue to grow.  Bless our loved ones, bless them according to their needs, we pray.  Be with our church, continue to guide us so we can be the people You call us to be, in Jesus name, Amen.

God's peace,

Pastor Brian