Thoughts on a New Year 2002

 

James 1

22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;

24for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

 

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

These words have been really speaking to me . Although Luther called James " A right strawy epistle", to me it has always spoken of how we should live as Christians.

It worries me that a "hearer" can be ever so sound on theology, and certain that they will be highly honoured in heaven, that they neglect any doing, or count their studies as "doing".

Yet we should all study the word. We are commanded to do so, so what does hearing and doing really involve?

I'm still trying to work this one out!! (Big sighs)

How do I be a doer, outside my church work? Not very easy at my place of employment other than being polite and helpful , ( and I'm not always that!)My job does not involve overt caring, so for me , at least, doing has to be beyond that.

That leads me to the problem of time. If your job allows you to care, then you have more free time for other church activities, I suppose.DH manages it so well, yet I don't! Why do I find it so difficult to drop everything and respond to cries for help?Why do I resent it that it comes easily to him, and not so easily to me?

Yet, I suspect I belong to the group with battered bibles , as does he.Our theology might not be perfect. We haven't really had the time. We've spent a lot of our lives simply serving Jesus, and others, through HIM.Perhaps we feel that we haven't done enough to justify our admission to Heaven, but Jesus gained that admission for us!

I'm not really talking about direct evangelism to unbelievers, more being Jesus to them, if you see what I mean.

One thing The Lord has shown me this year is to write to people, encouraging them, sharing , or defending the Gospel.

As an intercessor, I do pray for the salvation, and needs of others, but this year , even before Sept 11th. (My 36th Wedding anniversary), I, and others were being led to pray for the souls of individual Moslems .

So, what I am really trying to say, I think, is that we should seek The Lord as to how HE wants us to be "doers", and be prepared for the unexpected ! Then let us say: "Not my will but Thine"