Between a Rock and a Hard Place

James 5:13

kakopatheō: to undergo hardship, endure hardness

Sometimes this is the hardest place to pray... where you cannot find a footing, when you feel you have no roots, when you feel like God is far away...

If two flowers are growing, one in soft, nutrient soil but the other one has to push through the rocks, pick the one that has endured hardship.  It's the one that's going to be more fragrant.  Something in the battle produces more oil.  In fact, perfumers search out these flowers when gathering the best ingredients for their perfumes.

So, even when you don't want to - even when it feels hopeless; know that our God is listening.  He hears.  He knows.  He will be faithful.

Roping the Moon and Tying Up the Sun

James 5:12

To swear means to take an oath... Oath in Greek looks a little like the horizon... which is the line where the world stops.  Oath means that - to draw a line and set up a fence.  This is where it stops.  Maybe one of the reasons God doesn't want us to swear by any of his magnificent creation is that neither heaven nor earth - and definitely not God Himself - shall be fenced in by our little words.

The Velveteen Rabbit and God's Faithfulness

James 5:10-11

You remember the story of the Velveteen Rabbit.  He's so loved that he is no longer a perfectly cute stuffed animal: a button eye is missing, whiskers have fallen off, his stuffing is poking out of the seams.

My husband told me the other day that he is praying that God will not give us the easy path.  He wants God to move and shake us so that our identity, our comfort and security will not be of this earth.  Me... I'm afraid of my button eye falling off.  I want to keep my stuffing, thank you.

Recently I talked to a dear woman.  She had suffered so much: loss of children, loss of dreams.  But she told me that through it all, no matter how bad it gets, God is faithful.  I know He will be faithful. 

She, like those prophets, know the Truth.  And that's what makes- what gives -Real Life.  She is blessed.  So... I'm taking a deep breath.  I'm trying not to be so attached to my button eyes.  I'd rather have Jesus, anyway.

My Way or the High Way

James 5:9

Many people informed me that marriage is a magnifying glass on your sin.  Ouch.  It's true.  I can't believe how much grumbling I do.  I love my husband.  I enjoy him and am thankful for him.  Goodness gracious, he's so handsome I can't even stand it.  He's kind and gracious, and that I don't deserve.

His one fault is that he doesn't do everything my way.  I know this is shocking.  I mean, why wouldn't he do everything my way?  It IS the right way, right? 

Eyeyeyeyeye.... when I impose my way on him, I put him in this narrow place.  I say Do this.  Don't do this.  Stay on this narrow path and don't bump up against the boundaries.  This is exactly what grumbling is.  In Greek, stenazō, (to sigh, murmur, groan, grudge, grumble) comes from the word "narrow"... and literally means to make in straits: to put someone in a narrow place.  

And now I think back to all the times I have grumbled because people stepped out of what I wanted them to be, to do.

So if I don't get my way, I hope that I will take the High Way and not be so selfish, so egocentric, so... well, so me-ish.

They Guy at the Coffee Shop

James 5:7-8

I'm overhearing a conversation at a coffee shop.  I'm around the corner, so the people aren't even aware I'm here.  One guy talking to his coworker.  She is saying that god is "searching for the mysterious".  He is saying God is someone concrete, definable, the Creator of the Universe.  And she keeps waving him off with her ideas. He doesn't back down on the idea that God is Truth.  But, finally he does steer the conversation back to how it got started.

I hope he doesn't give up on her.

And I hope that his girlfriend's family doesn't give up on him.  That's how the conversation got started.  His girlfriend's family are Christians: neither super closed off and self-righteous nor just social "Christians" who don't live out what they believe.  The guy himself isn't a Christian.  But, I think he's really close.  Really close.

So, I hope they don't give up on him.  I hope that he will find someone who will match is mind and his debating skills.  I hope that God softens or breaks or tears down what ever is stopping him from really believing.  Because knowing there is a God who is findable is a world away from knowing God.