“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”
Memory Verse: “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25
Soon as the alarm goes off first thing in the morning with the hectic life ahead, majority of people just get up and maybe say a word or two as a form of prayer and progress straight into the hustle and bustle of the day. Between ticking off our daily schedule of activities and the heavy utilization of technology, we each day face the biggest challenge of our Christian journey, which entails setting quality time apart to pray, study the word and practicing that which we learn from the word of God.
Even more painful is the percentage of people who make an effort to study the word but immediately get carried away by distractions which makes it impossible to digest and act on the inspiration received from the study of the scriptures. The parable of the sower gives a detailed description of the attributes of that which happens in our world Matthew 13:18-23.
In the first two verses of today’s bible text, James makes a very useful analogy in comparing the word of God and how various people process the word of God. He compares someone who hears the word of God and does not do anything about the word studied as a man who looks in the mirror and forgets his own face. Why bother look in the mirror if you have no intention of making adjustments on what you see? How ridiculous does it seem not to remember one’s face?
James is calling all believers to look perfectly into the laws of liberty. The word of God is what James is referring to here which attracts blessing only when we do what’s written therein.
Obedience is key to receiving God’s blessing. Let us therefore go by each day of our lives, not in haste but being productive with the determination to set quality time apart to dine with Christ through effective prayers and study of his word. Not only leaving it at that but taking that conscious extra step further to practically live out the word of God through obedience.
God’s grace be sufficient for us all in Jesus Name, Amen.
PRAYERS:
- Father I thank you for your name is Yahweh
- Help me from today O Lord, to set time apart to dine with you, remove hastiness and increase the determination to grow my relationship with you
- Help me O Lord from just being a hearer to being a practical example of a follower of Christ
- Bring me back from my lost path, align me at the centerpiece of your purpose for my life
- Forgive my sins o Lord and remember my iniquities no more
- Have mercy on me O Lord and receive my sacrifice of praise, IJMN, AMEN
