James: Wisdom From AboveSample

Jesus is coming back, and when He does, evil and suffering will be removed from God’s creation. We’ll have a King who protects His kingdom from evil. Our prayer, for His kingdom to come and God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, will finally be answered. And it will be answered with judgment.

Judgement is the means of liberation for creation. They are two sides of the same coin. What was judgement for Pharaoh and Egypt in Exodus was the means of liberation for the Israelite slaves. Healing is a form of judgment: God judges sickness and removes it to liberate our bodies. When Jesus comes to judge the living and the dead, judgement is how the world will be set free from evil. This provokes two responses.

‘Weep and wail,’ says James to the oppressors of the earth who have invested their lives in self-indulgence and in opposition against Jesus. But 'be patient' he tells those who are waiting for the Lord. Jesus isn’t ignoring our suffering but is being patient as the church grows in holiness and in number. Every day, more oppressors of the earth cease their wandering and are saved from death. And so, we should be patient too, trusting that our compassionate God will continue to save and will one day set His creation free from evil completely.

We’re waiting for heaven and earth to be joined together, for all things to be made new. But while we wait, we can still glimpse the presence of God bringing a taste of the future world into our present. The sick can be healed. God can use our prayers powerfully. As we pray and as we praise God, we find ourselves stepping into His heavenly presence. And every time someone turns away from sin and worships the Lord, we see a glimpse of God making all things new.

Reflection: What can you start doing in order to see more glimpses of God making all things new?

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