James

NOW - I haven't told the stories in the last series of posts to say, "Look at me!" Far from it.

I am simply offering my experiences in the hope that they might be of help or strike a chord with someone else. I know very well what it's like to be in that lonely place called the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and I'm more than ever convinced that we are not alone there, even though it may feel that way most of the time.

We are all individuals, and in some ways our experiences are going to be individual. But basically, I am no different from anyone else. God is faithful, His orchestration of events is masterly, and He does not give up on us. He is there for every single one of us, IF our motives are right and IF we will only seek Him.

And those are two big IFs. Nearly 2000 years ago words were written that sum up very clearly how big those two IFs are.

One of my favorite reads is the Epistle of James the brother of Jesus, written to the expatriate Hebrews living throughout the Mediterranean world. I admire this book tremendously.

James has the same forthright, no-messing style that his brother had. Jesus called a spade a spade and He didn't hesitate to rebuke and condemn where necessary. It's significant that His words of condemnation were saved not for sinners or the down-and-outs but for the rich and the powerful of His time - the pillars of the Church, no less. Jesus came to state the truth and to prove that power does not reside in earthly wealth or position. No wonder he was executed.

James is well worth a read in a day and age when we are struggling to undertand why some of our greatest edifices are crumbling beneath our feet. Especially in a good modern translation he comes across clear and strong:

"You want things but you cannot have them, so you are ready to kill. You desire things, but you cannot get them, so you quarrel and fight.

"You do not have what you want because you do not ask God for it. And when you ask you do not receive because your motives are bad."

James 4:2-3

This applies to individuals, it applies to families, it applies to corporations and it applies to governments. It is at the root of all our troubles.

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