A devotion from James 1:1 which reads, "James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tries which are scattered abroad: Greetings."
1:1.a, “James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ…” It is first notable the title by which James chooses to be identified. James, who is the half-brother of Jesus, does not hold to some special claim or attitude, but rather humbles himself appropriately and purposefully as this alone: bondservant. As a bondservant, he speaks both of his total devotion, void of a personal pursuit, as well as his position of one who bears the authority of his master and is engaged in doing His will. The key here is not authority however, but that as a bondservant, he would be devoted and engaged in the master’s work, with no misuse for selfish gain. 1.1.b, “To the tribes scattered abroad…” Here we must consider the full extent of James care for God’s people as he writes this letter. Consider the difficulty of the task at hand: no Facebook, no cellphones, no modern postal services, no copy machines, and no mode of easily tracking someone down. Fulfilling his role as bondservant, James is putting forth a letter by hand, that must be taken by personal travel, across an entire continent in various directions, to peoples of (possibly) unknown location. Furthermore, if they were to be copied and sent forward, they would have to be copied by hand which takes a skilled scribe. All-in-all, James invests a lot of effort and care in writing this letter and having to facilitate some means of travel for his message to be heard. So, what’s my point? The point I’m trying to make is reflective of the heart that James has towards God’s people, and how intentional he is in encouraging, teaching, and edifying them, to no benefit of himself. Oh how much easier it would be if he could have picked up a phone to call! If Facebook was invented, all would hear! Even if he had today’s postal resources, his letter would have surely filled the mail bins so much, that extra help would be hired to carry and sort through the tangible faithfulness and love that James possessed for his Lord’s people! Yet we, who have all the above resources, show not the slightest evidence of such a love stricken heart. Phones do not ring, mail boxes do not bear the weight of exhortation, and the medium of our social platforms vaguely resembles an acknowledgement of our hope in Christ through aimlessly posted scripture verses, more in the pursuit of blue thumbs, red hearts, and wowed emoticons, than in filled spirits and stronger communities. What could be our greatest asset in church health has become a greater illusion of faith-born works than Satan could have ever devised on his own. In Conclusion Here we see love, devotion, and purpose. Here we are challenged profoundly past our cultures comfort zones, to step out of an air of apparent apathy, and into the reality that is the Church’s calling: pursue unity and edify the body. Be a bondservant. Make an effort in serving the Lord, by making an effort to serve His people. Go, and be blessed.
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Darrin MillerWorking for the Lord. Archives
October 2016
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