When I look back over my life, I see one thing clearly: you are for us.  You are on our side.

There was that time when dangerous people made my life so difficult!

But you rescued me.

There was that time when all my carefully constructed plans suddenly collapsed!

But you saved me.

There’s not a single doubt in my mind.

You are for us.

You are on our side.

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I’m watching you, Lord.

My eyes are fixed on your hands.

The way a child looks to the hands of her father.

The way an athlete looks to the hands of his coach.

The way a patient looks to the hands of her doctor.

I’m watching you, Lord.

My eyes are fixed on your hands.

May they bring the mercy I so desperately need.

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George Zimmerman shoots down Treyvon Martin.  Regardless of your take on the shooting, it’s a tragic situation.  It points to the brokenness of our world.  Syrian forces pillage villages and execute hundreds of their own citizens.  Rarely have we seen such suffering in our world.  As many as a dozen tornados rip through the Dallas/ Fort Worth area destroying homes and businesses.  It is a reminder of the chaos in our world.

We live in a tough world.  A world filled with trials.  These trials leave many people, including some of us, as victims.  Some of us here this morning are nursing wounds from some trial that we are going through.

On Sunday mornings we are exploring the book of James.  And in chapter 1, James acknowledges this reality.  He admits that the world is filled with trials.  In fact, some of James’ readers are victims of trials: ² Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³ for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. (James 1:2-3 ESV)  James is writing to people who are experiencing “trials of various kinds.”  Their faith is being “tested.”  Just like today, even then, the trials of the world left many as victims.

It is not surprising then, that James follows this description of a world filled with trials with a description of the way we often respond to trials: ¹⁹ Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰ for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (James 1:19-20 ESV).  It is not a coincidence that just after talking about how we are faced with trials, James addresses the issues of rage, bitterness and anger.  Don’t we often respond to suffering with rage, bitterness and anger?

But James says that God calls us to react to trials not with rage but with righteousness.   Anger, James says explicitly, does not produce the righteousness of God.  And this righteousness, he says implicitly, is the goal of our lives.  When James writes about “the righteousness of God,” he means “the righteous behavior God expects.”  In the Bible, someone is righteous if they treat others and God in a right way.  And that, James is saying, is the goal of our lives.  We are to pour our energies into living in a right way with God and a right way with others.  This is especially true in a world filled with trials.  James is saying that God is calling us to be people who react not with rage but with a commitment to doing the righteous thing in this broken world.

But how do we pursue righteousness?  James addresses this next: ²¹ Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls (James 1:21 ESV).  To live rightly in a chaotic world, there’s something negative we do and something positive we do.  We could put it this way: We respond with righteousness by removing the unrighteous wardrobe and receiving the righteous word.  First, James urges us to “put away” or to “take off” “filthiness” and “wickedness.”  If we want to treat God and people right in this hurting world we have to first remove unrighteous attitudes and actions.  We take them off like removing a filthy wardrobe.  Second, we “receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”  This word is the Word of God.  We need God’s word to get inside of us and transform us so that we can be the righteous people which this world so desperately needs.  We respond to the trials of the world not with rage but with righteous living.  This righteous living involves us removing unrighteous attitudes and actions and receiving the word of God which can empower us to make a difference in the world.

But how do we receive that Word?  How do we let God’s word get deep down so that we are empowered to live a righteous life?  James answers that question with these words: ²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. ²⁵ But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.²⁶ If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. (James 1:22-26 ESV).  In summary, James is saying this: We receive the righteous word by hearing it and heeding it.  We hear God’s word with our ears and we do that world with our hands and our lives.  It’s not enough to just know and hear God’s word.  We also have to heed it.  We have to put it into action.  James is saying that if you want God’s world to transform you you’ve got to act on it in this trial-filled world.

Tony Jones writes this:[1] “A common theme in modern Christianity has been that head knowledge is how one becomes more adept at following Christ: the more you know, the better you’ll do. But in fact, that hasn’t proven to be true.  Instead, it seems the Christian life is more like being a baseball shortstop: A young player can watch videos, read books by the greatest shortstops of all time, and listen to coaches lecture on what makes a good shortstop; but what will make him a truly good shortstop is getting out on the field and practicing. The only way he’ll really get a feel for the game is to field ground ball after ground ball, to figure out when to play the ball on a short hop, when a pull-hitter is at bat, and how far to cheat toward second base when the double play is on. The more practice he has, the better he’ll be.  Getting a ‘feel for the game’ in following Jesus is much the same…”  If you really want to make a contribution in this trial-filled world, you not only need to hear God’s word.  You’ve got to get out on the field and put that word to practice.  You’ve got to get out there in the midst of the violence and the turmoil and the chaos and start practicing what you’ve been reading.  That’s the only way you’ll ever really become righteous and thus able to make any difference in this word.

But what exactly does that look like?  What would it truly be like to heed God’s word in this hurting world?  James answers with these final words: ²⁷ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. (James 1:27 ESV).  Of all that James might have concluded with, it’s remarkable that he ends up here.  James highlights two groups: orphans and widows.  In the ancient world there were no two groups more victimized by the trials of the world than these two.  Orphans had no parents or adult figures to fight off trials for them or help them recover when trials hit.  Widows had no male figure to fight off trials or help them recover when trials hit.  Both were alone in the harsh and hurtful world.  And James says that heeding the word of God, putting God’s work to practice, essentially comes down to caring for people like this.  We could put it this way: We heed the righteous word by caring for victims of trials in the world.  We wind up where we began.  We began with James pointing out how we are often victims of trials.  We end with James calling us to go back into that world and help others who are victims.  James doesn’t just want the church to gather together and nurse our wounds and tell each other how bad life’s been.  He wants us to get back out there where others are also hurting and to do something about the suffering out there.  That’s ultimately what it means to live as a righteous person.

While Paul Knight, a preacher from Grand Forks, North Dakota, was visiting Ethiopia, he had the chance to meet the little girl his family had been sponsoring through Compassion International.[2]  The little girl and her mother lived and worked in a one-room home that also functioned as the local bar. During Knight’s visit, the place started filling with rowdy men from the community. Suddenly, Knight’s translator took him by the arm and said, “We have to go now.”  Knight looked back at his sponsor child, a ten-year-old girl, and said, “Wait!”  The crowd was getting louder, and his translator firmly said, “It’s not safe for you. You must leave now.”   ”But what about my little girl?” Knight asked.  “Will she be safe?”  The translator said, “It’s not really safe, but this is her home.”  Knight, alarmed, asked, “What does that mean—it’s not really safe?”  The translator replied, “It means exactly what you think it means.”  Knight began to cry.  “What can this little girl do?”  Grabbing his arm, the translator said, “We teach the girls to do this: scream and run to the church. When you get to the church, you will find love and safety. The church will shelter you. So when they feel threatened or vulnerable, they scream and run to the church.”

I’m thankful that the church in Ethiopia could be a safe haven and a refuge for girls like this so victimized by the trials of this world.  But I think James paints an even better picture.  I don’t think James is addressing girls like this and telling them: scream and run to the church.  I think James is addressing churches like us and telling us: when girls like this scream, you run to them.  James doesn’t just want the afflicted running to the church for shelter.  He wants the church running to the afflicted to shelter them.  He wants the church sprinting to those who feel threatened and vulnerable.  In this broken world, he wants the church bringing safety to them.  Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

I know of no ministry that does this better than Agape.  Highland has a long history of partnering with Agape to serve orphans, widows, and others in great need.  Executive Director David Jordan is with us this morning to share how Agape, through FIT, Powerlines, and other initiatives, is putting God’s word into action, especially among those who widows and orphans.

DAVID JORDAN

You may not be able to run to those in need today.  But you can support those who do.  By giving generously today, you are heeding God’s call to serve those victimized by the trials of this world.  We need to raise $129,000 today to fund the 20 world and urban missions which Highland partners with.  Every one of these ministries is running to those in physical and spiritual need.  You can help them do this job by giving deeply and generously this morning.

Lord, this conflict makes me cry.

This war makes we weep.

This battle has become too great a burden.

Too quickly did the powerful move from words to war!

Too quickly did tongues send soldiers to serve!

Bring this war to an end.

Send a ceasefire.

Let there be peace on earth.

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Lord, I was suffering.  I was no longer singing.

There was no hymn in my heart.  There were no lyrics on my lips.

I was mad because I was mistreated.  Those mean people made off with the music of my life.

But now, Lord, your counsel brings comfort.  Your word brings hope.

Because of you, I am no longer suffering. I am once again singing.

Your word has put the beat back in my heart and the soul back in my song.

I’m tapping my toes and humming a hymn.

Your word has become the music of my life.

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I praise you Lord!

When?

During every tick of the second hand, every chime of the hour, every day of the week, every week of the month, and every month of the year.

Where?

On every square foot the sun touches from sunrise to sunset.  From north to south.  From east to west.

Why?

Because you are so high.  You are so exalted.  Your throne is so elevated.  You have to stoop to see the heavens and the earth.

But, you are also so low.  You draw near to the most humble human.  The man with nothing but dust to his name.  The woman with only tears for family.  You replace their pain with pleasure.

That’s why I praise you Lord!  I worship you at all times in all places because you are so high and so low.

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My God, do something about my enemy!

He attacks me for no reason.

He treats me with disregard.

May the curses he shouts at me boomerang back to him.

May the blessings he withholds from me be withheld from him.

May his days be little and his disgrace large.

I’d like to pray better, God.

I wish I could wish my enemy love and joy.

But I can’t.  Not today.

This is the only prayer I’ve got.

Save me from my enemy, my God.

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Lord, I have listened to the stories of your legendary deeds:

Some wandered in wastelands lost and lonely.  They sought you and you saved them.

Some despaired in darkness imprisoned and isolated.  They sought you and you saved them.

Some sailed the sea and were stranded in its storms.  They sought you and you saved them.

Some subsisted in sin conceited and contemptible.  Eventually they sought you and you saved them.

Like those in your Book, at times I am lost, imprisoned, stranded or contemptible.

Like those in your Book, may you save me when I seek you.

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Lord, my heart was filled with wrong.

Now you are filled with wrath.

You are angry with me.

Frustrated.

Disappointed.

How I mourn and long to mend our marred relationship!

I eat ashes for food.

I consume tears for drink.

Yet even in my failure, I have faith in our future.

For your compassion is even greater than your wrath.

Your love is even hotter than your anger.

Mercy, Lord.

Have mercy.

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Longing to Listen

A former member of our congregation stopped by our church office recently.  “What’s going on?” I asked her.  “Well,” she said, “I finally retired.  But now I’m not sure what to do.  I guess I’m in a season of discernment.  I’m trying to listen to God and discover what he wants me to do next.”

In some ways, her description of her life-stage fits many of us.  For those who are truly seeking a more significant spiritual life, listening seems to be the one commonality.  We’re listening for God’s guidance in our work.  We’re listening for God’s leadership in our relationships.  We’re listening for God’s direction in major decisions.  We’re listening for God’s answers to circumstances that puzzle us.  For more and more of us, life with Jesus is a life of listening.

In his book The Power of a Whisper Bill Hybels focuses on about twenty individuals in the Bible who heard God in a distinct way.[i] These include Adam and Eve, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Balaam, Joshua, Samuel, Job, Zechariah, Joseph, Mary, Jesus, Philip, Peter, and Paul.  Each was blessed with direct interaction with and instruction from God.  Each heard from the Lord.  Many of us long for this very thing.  We hunger for a fresh and living word from the One who made us and loves us.

Hearing by Reading

Thankfully, this craving can be satisfied through the meditative reading of Scripture.  Marjorie Thompson calls this “spiritual reading”:

“Spiritual reading is reflective and prayerful.  It is concerned not with speed or volume but with depth and receptivity.  That is because the purpose of spiritual reading is to open ourselves to how God may be speaking to us in and through any particular text.  The manner of spiritual reading is like drinking in the words of a love letter or pondering the meaning of a poem.  It is not like skittering over the surface of a popular magazine or plowing through a computer manual.  We are seeking not merely information but formation.”[ii]

The meditative reading of Scripture is one of the most promising ways to perceive the hushed voice of God.  It is based on a singular conviction: God still speaks.  He is not mute.  He not silent.  God has not lost his voice.  We have lost our ears.  Just as he did to Adam, Moses, and Mary, so God still addresses any person who humbly seeks an audience with him in the pages of his word.  He may express himself in many other ways.  But most certainly does so through the words of the Bible.

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[ii]Marjorie Thompson, Soul Feast (Westminster John Knox, 1985), 18 (emphasis added).