Faith Developed and Lived Out: James 1 in Actionනියැදිය

Today’s reading begins and ends with a picture of who God is and what He has promised. God is a “Promiser.” God is the One who offers the crown of life. God is the Giver of every good and perfect gift. God is our Father. God is steady – never changing or shifting like shadows. God is the One who gives us birth. God is the One who provides the Word of Truth. God is the One who has created us to be the firstfruits of His creation.

In the middle, we see what keeps us from experiencing all that God is and all that He offers.

Temptations caused by evil desires that lure and entice. Desire that leads to sin. Sin that leads to death. You and I would act very differently if we saw sin as the life-robber, relationship-destroyer that it really is.

All too often, we see sin the way we see potholes. Annoying. Inconvenient. Something that should probably be fixed. The truth is that sin is a cliff. Temptation is the pull to drive too closely to the edge, when God is calling us to stay as far away from the edge as possible.

For Reflection & Discussion

• What comes to mind when you think about who God is?
• What comes to mind when you think about what God offers?
• How do you picture sin? As a pothole or a cliff?