“As I think I’ve mentioned to you before,” Stan commented one morning while we waited for Ricky to take our breakfast orders, “the Book of James is one of my favorites.”
“Yeah,” I replied. “Lots of wisdom in that book.”
“Wisdom,” Stan said, “along with a lot of practical truth for living the Christian life.”
“Practical truth?” I questioned. “Is there such a thing as ‘impractical truth’?”
“Interesting question,” Stan replied. “I’m not sure about that, but I do know that there’s a lot of Biblical truth that people find to be inconvenient.”
“Inconvenient?” I said. “In what way?”
“Plural,” Stan replied with a smile. “There are many ways that people, especially me, find Biblical truth to be inconvenient to apply to their lives.”
“In fact,” he added, “earlier this morning, I was looking at one of those in James’ letter.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Where James wrote about not becoming a forgetful hearer, but being an effectual doer.” Stan replied.
“Being a forgetful hearer versus being an effectual doer,” I repeated. “You mean like forgetting what God has for you to do, rather than doing it. Is that it?”
“Afraid so,” Stan replied. “Sometimes I conveniently ‘forget’ what God has for me to do because it’s not convenient for me to do it.”
“What does convenience have to do with obedience?” I asked.
“That, my friend,” Stan replied, “is a great question!”
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Bible verses to consider:
But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does. James 1:25.
If you love Me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15.
And why do you call Me, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say? Luke 6:46.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for all you have to show and tell me about what you have for me to do for you and your kingdom. I confess that too often I am a “forgetful hearer” of what you have for me — and that too often I “forget” on purpose because what you have for me to be and to do is not convenient for me. Please forgive my foolishness and help me follow every step of your lead in hearing and doing all you have for me. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you heard about and accepted God’s free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him? If no, is it because you haven’t heard or because you haven’t accepted? If you haven’t heard, do you know how to hear about it? If you have heard, but not accepted, why do you want to remain separated from God? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with hearing and doing what God has for you while He keeps you here? If you sense the need to change from being a “forgetful hearer” to being an “effectual doer,” how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?