And as we prepare to dive into these final words from James' letter, let's pause for a moment to reflect on our journey.

What have we learned?
How are we different now?
What steps are we taking?

1. We must trust God in the storm
-"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds" James 1:2
-"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." James 1:12
-Almost every truth we read from James is through this perspective: not just that we can trust God no matter what, we must.

2. We must act on what we believe
-You can't separate this from the first point because they are tied together: trusting God in the storm results in action.
-"Don’t just listen to the word. Do what it says." James 1:22
-This action shows up in so many different ways: we measure and steward our words carefully (James 1:26, James 3:6), we care for those others ignore (James 1:27), we don't show favoritism (James 2:8-9).

3. We must walk in humility
-Trusting God in the storms of our life is the birthplace of true humility. Acting on what we believe requires constant humility.
-There is a battle with us, a divided loyalty (James 4:4, James 4:10). The call to humility ultimately asks the question "Who has your heart?" (James 5:5)
-There is power available to us when we walk in this truth: God is the source. He is Lord. I don't have to be.

But what about those for whom this isn't true?

-What about those who struggle to trust?
-What about the one who claims no faith in Christ?
-Or whose faith has become so stagnant, so superficial, so lifeless and without any action?

How should we respond?
James' final exhortation is with this question in mind.

-James' heart is clear. The final thing on his mind is the return of those who were once followers but have turned away. His heart is for what Jesus called 'the one'.
-“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?" (Matthew 18:12)
-The word here for 'wanders' is the same root word that James uses in 5:19.
-The message of Jesus and the final words of James is this: have such a heart for the wanderer, that you will pursue them. Not separate from them, but run after them.

"My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them." James 5:19 (The Message)

Verses for further study/reflection:
2 Corinthians 5:11-21
2 Timothy 4:5
1 Peter 4:8
Proverbs 10:12