Daily Bible Reading – 9.9.2021
James 5:7-9, Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
James just warned the rich, who were only living for themselves, about the judgment they could expect on the day the Lord returns. In these verses, he tells the poor followers of Jesus how they must live in light of that coming day. It’s a shift from judging those who oppress to encouraging those who are oppressed to trust that God will vindicate them in the end.
Farmers must employ remarkable patience and faith throughout the year. It must be dry enough to plant the crop. There must be appropriate amounts of rain to make the crop grow. The rains need to stop so that the harvest can happen. Farmers might use fertilizers and sprays but still cannot create the right climate for a bountiful crop to occur. As much as I love the idea of farming, I do not think I would make a patient farmer!
As we await the final harvest, we need to patiently persevere believing that God will do what he promises to do. We should anticipate that the Lord’s coming is near and be careful that we treat each other well in the Body of Christ.
James gives us the powerful image that the Judge is at the door! He is nearby, ready to enter. This provides strong motivation for us to persevere and remain faithful to the very end.
Questions to Consider:
How much do you think about the Lord’s coming? How does the thought of the day of Judgment factor into the way you live?
Weekly Memory Verse:
James 1:2-3, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.