What I love about the Bible is the way you can read a passage dozens of times, and then suddenly get hit out of the blue with something you've never seen before. This has happened to me over and over, but it never ceases to amaze me. It doesn't have to be an obscure passage, either. Take, for example, the well-known book of James.
I've been working on memorizing James for a few weeks now, as part of a memorization challenge with some other Bible Bee Alumni. As I was reviewing chapter 1 yesterday, I saw a connection that somehow I'd missed over the years, between two verses that I memorized several years ago:
James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of Light, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Both are great verses, but I had not in the past seen any connection between them. However, looking at the context of the verses that lie between them, something important is revealed about that second verse.
"Blessed is the man who endures temptation" says James, but that is not all he has to say about temptation. He continues on to remind his readers that God is not the one who tempts us, but rather our own desires enticing us away. One of Satan's best tools is appealing to our own desires.
“If you really follow Christ, you won’t be allowed to do this thing that you really want to do.”
“If you give all your time to Christ, when will you have time for yourself?”
Just wanting to do something isn’t the same thing as actually doing it, is it? Hating your brother isn’t the same as murdering him, is it? The problem is that desire gives birth to sin, and sin leads to death. One leads to another, and by our own power, we can’t stop the process once it is started.
But what can we do when we feel our desires pulling us away from Christ? Remember that enduring temptation leads to a crown, yes, but James gives us another tool to use. “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of light.”
What is James saying? How does verse 17 connect with verses 12-16? I think he is reminding us that however wonderful the things we desire may seem, they cannot begin to compare with the good and perfect things God gives us when we follow Him. Satan works on our selfishness, whispering that we’ll have to “give up” so much to follow Christ, but in reality, He gives us everything!
We may think that following our own desires will make us happy, but if they do not come from God, we will be left empty and unsatisfied. Obeying God’s commands may be hard at times, but the joy He gives us throughout makes it completely worth it.
