Lent: Keep it simple

The blessing of doing

James 2:14-17 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

The active growth of grace must surely be the central aim in all life regardless of the situation and circumstance in which we find ourselves. Business, school, home, church, reading, pleasure, struggle, work, sorrow, are but means to this one end. It matters not how much money we made made last year; but perhaps we should ask earnestly what marked last year's living that provided the bases that enabled our growth in grace. Our growth in maturity is of infinitely greater importance than the growth of one’s fortune. 

Everything we do leaves an impression, upon our being. We are building life all the while, whatever we are doing. The work itself may fail, but in the worker’s disappointment, amid the failure of plans, the work of grace within us goes on. Even in defeats the struggling leaves a potential inner growth. In a similar way, continuing yesterdays blessed to be a blessing even though nothing good may comes from the gift, there is an inherent growth in grace within the action of giving

“ In the strength of the endeavour,

In the temper of the giver,

In the loving of the lover,

Lies the hidden recompense.

“ In the sowing of the sower,

In the fading of the flower,

In the fleeting of each hour,

Lurks eternal recompense.”

It was Philip Brooks who wrote, “We will never become truly spiritual by sitting down and wishing to become so.”

Prayer

Gracious God, what a joy and privilege to be called Your children. We long that Your Spirit works deeply within our hearts so that we may grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

We humbly pray that You will increase our desire to know You more and to love You better. Please continue to supply us with the grace and strength to abide in Your love, so that we may show the beauty of Jesus in our lives, more and more. 

May our life and all we say and do, be honouring to You and draw me ever closer to Your heart of love. In Jesus' name we pray, 

Amen.