Monday after the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on September 16, 2024 by under
Scripture: James 1:2-12 (NKJV)
1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Devotion
St. James wrote, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” Yesterday, we heard once again the account of Jesus raising the son of the widow of Nain. It is not hard for us to imagine the terrible burden which had briefly been laid upon her, and how great her rejoicing no doubt was when Christ Jesus restored her son to her alive!
In our mourning and our rejoicing, we pray that the Lord would increase patience and wisdom within our hearts. These virtues are the fruit of the work of the Holy Spirit within us, as we meditate on the consolations extended to us in the Word of God. Therefore we always pray that the Lord would strengthen our faith, whether we know worldly blessings or sorrows, wealth or poverty, for He establishes us in the faith which is given continually to good works, which are the fruit of faith.
Since we have our hope in Christ Jesus, we trust that He will raise us from the dead. Therefore, He is the source of our joy in the midst of trials, for we know that all trials have an end, as we persevere in hope, with the consolation of eternal joy with Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Collect: Lord, we pray Thee, that Thy grace may always go before and follow after us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
