Pure Joy: 7 Devotions in the Book of JamesSample

Beyond Our Imaginings

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. JAMES 1:1 NIV

Have you ever had anybody wave at you frantically and scream, “You’re going the wrong way!” It’s mortifying, especially when you realize that you’re driving full throttle, going the wrong way into oncoming traffic! Our earthly journey can be riddled with those kinds of jolts—as well as a thousand other kinds.

We’ve all been there. We’re going down a path that we feel makes the most sense, all our friends are going the same way, but something just doesn’t seem right. And you wonder what God thinks about it. Could He be saying, “My friend, you’re headed in the wrong direction”? When Jesus came to us, He did not burst onto the scene as a mighty reigning king—that glorious event will come later—but He arrived as a baby who became a humble servant as well as a friend and Redeemer. Not really what mankind had hoped for at the time.

But His divine ways are hard for us to fathom. The book of Isaiah reads, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord” (55:8 NIV).

In the opening verse provided, we read that James is calling himself a servant of God and of Christ. Secretly we may groan over the word 'servant' because it sounds like the antithesis to fun. But a spirit of servanthood— that is, focusing on the needs of others as well as our own—is the attitude that will delight God and delight us. As we pour out our lives for Him and for others, we are filled with soul riches that are beyond our imaginings, both now and for all time. And remember, the Word of God also says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you” (1 Peter 5:6 ESV).

How beautiful is that?

O Lord, my God, keep me from going full throttle the wrong way in this life. It will surely lead to calamity. Let me see heaven's way in all things. Amen.