Morning Service, 03 January 2010
When you come to the concluding words of a speech or an important letter you tend to choose them carefully – wanting to assert the main point, or drive it home in some particular way.
Throughout James’ letter he has been continually emphasising the robust nature of the Christian Faith. That it is more than intellectual assent, but life-gripping and life-shaping truth. His letter has been, if you like, a call to godly seriousness and to serious godliness.
This is a message which modern Christianity – which seems to be more characterised by a petite politeness or at the other extreme by champagne froth and bubble – needs to hear.
The world needs that true Christianity which James calls us to, which takes seriously the call of God to live righteously for Him in this wicked world, to live among this evil generation evidencing all the faithfulness and compassion of God’s people to each other.
Now as he draws to a close James reminds us of what is our most delightful privilege and yet our most necessary practice, that of prayer.
This whole section deals in various ways with the topic of prayer. Prayer is placed before us as the essential ingredient of an effective and efficient Christian life.
Paul understood this, for in Eph 6 as he talked about putting on the whole armour of God he stressed that we are to do so “with prayer”.
It is prayer which connects us to the will of God and therefore unleashes the resources of the Kingdom for us.
James begins in this verse by stressing the Place of Prayer. We notice firstly,
1. Its Comprehensiveness
Here James stresses that prayer covers the whole of life. He indicates this by giving us two examples when we should turn to God in prayer (realising that praise, even if in song, is but a specialised form of prayer): that is, in times of pressure and in times of pleasure.
a. “Suffering”
This is a general word meaning more than physical sickness. It can include all hardships from the influences of the natural world right through to persecution on account of the gospel. It is anything we might describe as ‘bad’.
The assumption is that these things exist among Christians. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous” (Psalm 34:19). It is the theology of biblical illiterates to believe that ‘sufferings’ don’t come to true Christians. Our daily lives tell us that James knows what he is talking about.
Now, however you describe the condition you are going through, the counsel is always the same: pray. Is there anything that makes you feel bad or sad? Whatever it is, turn you heart to the Lord and pray.
b. “Cheerful”
This carries the idea of inner feelings of joy and well-being. Notice here that it is not impossible nor is it inappropriate for the Christian to be cheerful in this life. It is the devil’s lie that the Christian is meant to be morbid and dull all the time.
The Christian life is not funny; we are not a bunch of comedians. But it should be wonderfully happy, for we are the children of God. Remember “The kingdom of God is … righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17). There is something radically wrong with a professing Christian who never knows cheerfulness of heart. So Paul exhorts us, “Rejoice always and again I say, rejoice!” (Phil 4:4).
Life does have its problems and pressure, and the Bible never hides that fact. But it equally insists that God pours out upon every one of His children untold blessings each and every day. As David cries, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!” (Ps 68:19).
Is there something that makes you feel good? It could be anything – well, says James, lift your heart to God and praise Him for it. Is He not the cause of it?
When we think about it we soon see that these two words, “suffering … cheerful”, in one way or other cover the whole of life’s experiences. Yet at the same time they stress the variableness and changeability of life that we know only all too well.
So what it is declaring is that there is no conceivable situation, no sudden change in circumstances that should not be looked at from the outset in terms of prayer.
Therefore whatever you are going through at the moment you have an opportunity for and motivation to prayer.
We are to be a people frequently found in prayer!
It is a distinguishing mark of true Christian experience when we carry the same spirit of devotion to God regardless of the circumstances.
It is the power of grace to keep the soul balanced regardless of the changing terrain.
Let us be wary of being found as a regular attendant upon the throne of God only when things are difficult in our lives!
2. Its Correspondence
This is the second thing that strikes us here, that James uses different words to describe the course of action required. He could have said, ‘Is anyone cheerful? Pray’. But instead he chose the word “praise”.
The significance of this is seen in that as a change in circumstances, or a changing in perspective concerning otherwise troublesome circumstances, should be reflected in prayer, in the way that we pray, as well as what we pray. This seems to be James’ point here also.
Let your prayers reflect the context out of which they arise, in terms of
(a) their content. In other words, James wants us to think about our circumstances – what is happening? how should I respond? What do I need – is it patience, constancy, hope, relief, deliverance? What? Try to discern what God is doing, what His will is, where it may be leading, and try to fit in. Prayer is not so much changing God’s will, but discovering God’s will and being changed to it. Are you cheerful? James is asking you to think about why you are cheerful. How do you see God’s hand in it? Is it merely some general blessing or can you begin to see more of His gracious hand directing? It is nice when someone says thank you, but it is better when you see they have understood something of what was involved in what you did for them isn’t it? Let us be more thoughtful about our prayers, let them correspond to the realities, not merely be the niceties of respectful language.
(b) their manner. Jesus, in teaching on prayer, used parables where the key-players oozed passion (widow pestering the judge, the neighbour banging on the door for food). These weren’t just about perseverance; they persevered because they were passionate in their pursuit. Are you passionate before the throne? Jesus Himself sweated drops of blood as He was engrossed in prayer. You cannot read the Psalms without the earnestness, at times the sense of being almost overwhelmed by the pressure of circumstances coming as rolling waves one after another. When Peter and the disciples on the Day of Pentecost were expressing praise to God people said they were ‘drunk’ – now you don’t say that of people who were ‘limp’ in their expressions of thankfulness!
In prayer we are dealing with life issues before the sovereign Lord o’r Loving Father – Now, do our prayers reflect this reality?
3. Its Correctiveness
The very fact that James tells us to turn to God in prayer from our circumstances tells us that there is a temptation not to do this.
James’ approach so far in this letter has been one of urging us to persevere in faith and godliness, of not allowing circumstances drive us from God.
In other words, prayer is not only a means of saying sorry when you have sinned or of praise when you have been forgiven, it is a means to keep you from sin in the first place. It is a corrective in that it keeps your sails into the wind of fellowship with God.
Prayer requires us to think God’s thoughts after Him – and we are less likely to fall into sin when close to God in thought and desires.
And so, as you face pressures the temptation is to get angry at God, to doubt His good providences, His gracious promises.
What James does as the waves of confusion sweep across your soul pray is force us to talk it through with God.
There is much harboured hurt and bitterness within children because they never talk it out with their parent. If they only had started then in the talking perspectives would’ve changed, the difficulties would’ve began to subside. It is equally true with God.
The greatest damage to our soul comes by shutting down the lines of communication – no says James, Pray. Talk to God, seek His explanation, seek His help.
As a corrective, prayer will remind you that He who is with you is greater than all the world that bears against you; it will cause you to see that He is in control and that He does not allow anything to come your way without it achieving your good, and even then He carefully monitors it all. In other words prayer is the very environment that restores our peace, creating fresh confidence and trust in God.
As you experience pleasures the temptation is to forget God, to become self-reliant and self-confident. No says James, be full of prayers of Thanksgiving – this is your antidote.
How can you foster self-pride as you tell Him what you have done? Can you not see with the eyes of faith that He lies behind it all? Can you not with faith feel His love, and yet think He has not been the driving behind what has made you cheerful? Prayer will act as a corrective and you will not lose the delight of walking joyfully with your heavenly Father!
Let us then hear James’ words and be a praying people not just a people who say prayers. Let us cherish the opportunity of prayer, being frequent in prayer, thinking in its content, feeling in its manner. And so may it serve as God’s corrective to keep us close to Him and far from satan’s devices.
Motyer serve as a good summation of this simple yet deeply practical verse, as he speaks of us as being like a mirror: ‘The Christian has a God for every circumstanced. Our whole life, as we might say, should be so angled towards God that whatever strikes upon us, whether sorrow or joy, should be deflected upwards at once into His presence.’
As we do so, we shall know and be found living in His will and fellowship.