Every Good Gift

Series: Receive a Gift

James 1:17 ESV

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 ESV

We know a great deal from the opening greeting from James as he writes to his fellow believers.

While James was a common name in the first century, experts believe the James who authored this book was the half brother of Jesus and the brother of Jude. By half brother, we know Mary was their mother and Joseph was the Father.

Jesus of Nazareth was born of Mary but His father was of God, not Joseph the Carpenter. However, Joseph was a great influence because he did raise Jesus in his house as a member.

The James who wrote this letter is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:7 as being one of the first disciples (brothers) mentioned as receiving a resurrection visit from Jesus.

Early church history states that James was a devout prayer who had thick callouses on his knees from praying long hours every day.

It was said his knees looked like the knees of a camel.

In James 1:17 he wrote, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

This devout prayer made it clear that only God can give a good and perfect gift because no one but God can attain perfection.

We believe that to be truer than true because while we may know loving people, none of us has known a perfect person…no matter how hard they may have tried.

Only God Jesus was/is without sin.

The good news…really good news is that we do not need to work, toil, and try to be perfect every second of every day.

Wise King Solomon knew the truth. In Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 Solomon tells us, “I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.”

Every good thing is a gift from God.

We are not capable of perfection. Trust me, as a child even when we really really tried to do everything right, it just wasn’t possible.

I was (was?) an idealist as a child. I fantasized that I would make good decisions and do everything my dad expected.

I wanted to be Pollyanna.

I had unrealistic ideas about who God created me to be.

Thankfully I went to a church that taught we all fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23) and Jesus loves us anyway (Song: Jesus Loves Me).

The day I accepted I couldn’t be perfect was the day I came to realize I needed Jesus.

I was reminded just this morning that no matter how hard I try I will not hit the perfect target every minute of every day. Don’t get me wrong, we can try to be good but until the day I realistically accepted my imperfection I wasn’t ready to receive the perfect gift from above.

Receiving the gift from above was the best decision I ever made!

Deborah

acrazyjourney.com