"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."
- James 3:17-18
"But the wisdom from above is...full of mercy and good fruits..."
Day Five of the Spring Week of Prayer! Happy Friday!!
Brothers and Sisters, we lack wisdom. Therefore, with the saints of the past, we are comforted by the scriptures which make known, If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him (Jas. 1:5). The wisdom of our God does not produce a barren tree of stoic religiosity. The branches connected to the vine abound in good fruits (Jn. 15:4-5). As we honor the Father, pray for your enemies to know the cleansing of mercy (Jn. 15:3), your coworkers to evidence the joy of eternal life (Jn. 15:11), and your city to abound with love as the redemption purchased by Christ transforms whole communities (Jn. 15:12-17).
The hymn writer Horatius Bonar wrote “Fill Thou My Life, O Lord My God” by musing over Psalm 34:1, and it can help us understand James 3:17.
Fill thou my life, O Lord my God,
in ev’ry part with praise,
that my whole being may proclaim
thy being and thy ways.
Not for the lip of praise alone,
nor e’en the praising heart,
I ask, but for a life made up
of praise in ev’ry part;
Praise in the common things of life,
its goings out and in,
praise in each duty and each deed,
however small and mean.
So shall no part of day or night
from sacredness be free:
but all my life, in ev’ry step,
be fellowship with thee.
May you enjoy the Lord our God as a living sacrifice today as you walk in the freedom of the Spirit (Gal. 5:1)
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