# 37 2020 Dev. James 5:13. Faith! Read all of Chapter 5. The purpose of these devotionals is to draw closer to God and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living. All passages are taken from the NIV.
James 5:13 “is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. “
James addresses three huge subjects in Ch. 5: Oppression, Patience and Prayer.The author is speaking out against people for not paying a fair wage and not paying for work rendered. Is there a more pertinent situation going on today? I suspect most people support capitalism but there are problems among us. What do we call it when workers are not receiving a living wage and the CEO of that company receives millions a year with a golden parachute of more millions? How about sports deals of up to many millions a year for one person while workers and venders at the stadiums are barely making a living wage? James is calling this oppression!
Next James addresses: “Patience in Suffering” but James throws something into this section that many are not thinking about: be patient “until the Lord’s coming”. James is giving his readers and us the bigger picture. We are, after all, in the last days, Jesus is on the way. Yet, that does not mean we give up, no, he tells us to stand firm and do not complain, “because the Lord is near. As we know, we count as blessed those who have persevered”. Also, “the Lord is full of compassion and mercy”. In other words, be patient, God is in control!
James also addresses prayer. “The Prayer of Faith”. Prayer is always a function of faith. Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Verse15 is the heart of this section: “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.” Healing and forgiveness, God always gives us. Our family prayed for my brother, who struggled with MS for five years. My brother is forgiven, and our neighbor, Mr. Todd, suffering from cancer is forgiven as well because he accepted Christ when my brother talked with him. After that event both died, God healing both of them, praise the Lord. Verse 20, “remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” Death here meaning “eternal death”; separation from God forever. Is healing and forgiveness the meaning for my brothers short life? Faith tells us that it is.
Justice, patience, prayer and faith all work together for healing and forgiveness under the Grace of God. Praise Him!
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