The Correspondences: James 4

James 4

(1-5) My child, why do you bicker with others? Why do you fight? Because you are a double minded man. Your passions are all mixed up. You get it in your mind that you want something and so you do whatever it takes to get your way. You obsess about how easy your wife has it, so you make snide, underhanded comments. You get sarcastic. Do you want to know why don’t have what you want? I’ll tell you. You. Don’t. Ask. Rather than talking to me, you connive and manipulate to get your way. Is that how I created you to be? Remember what I told you at the beginning of the letter? You are a double minded man and too often you get focused on second things that you think you need. Don’t forget what I told you before, what you really need is me, not my gifts. My servant CS Lewis wrote, “Put first things first and you’ll get second things thrown in. Put second things first and you miss both first and second things.” When you mix up your passion for me with your passion for things I have created, it is like you are cheating on me. I want your whole heart, not just a part of it. You will have to decide, me or the world; you can’t have it both ways. I am a jealous Husband and I will fight for what is my own. I made my Spirit to dwell inside of you because I love you. Don’t go looking for other lovers.  

(6-10) Even when you forget who I am and who you are, none of this changes the fact that my grace flows from a never ending spring. I will stand against anything in you that rebels against me, but you will be saturated with my grace when you humble yourself before me. Live under my merciful rule. When the devil shows up, run to me. Satan won’t dare come near to you then.  When you are fighting your weak flesh or you feel overpowered by the world, come find me. I am so eager to be with you and deliver you my child. Wash up in the stream of my grace. The blood of my son has swept away your wretchedness. If you keep living for the world, your life will be full of sadness and tears but when you seek me, rivers of joy!

 (11-12) Relationships are hard so mind your tongue. Don’t tear one another down. When you decide to speak against a brother, you are forgetting My law of love. Leave the judgment to me. I am the only one who can see clearly enough to judge rightly. What I want you to do is love your brothers and sisters. 

(13-17) My child, be aware of scheming and strategizing without seeking me. I know that you desire to make a better life for yourself on earth, so you make financial plans and negotiate the future, but don’t get too worked up about your retirement. When you are more focused on your financial investments than your eternal investments, you have lost sight of me. Your life on earth is less than a breath but you will be with me forever. Store up eternal treasures. If I want you to live until you are 100, that’s my prerogative, but I could take you home tomorrow if it is my will to do so. So be careful to boast in your investments, rather boast in me.