If we slow down for a while and look back at the previous verses, it is as if we are looking in the mirror. We stare at the sinful man who is always crooked – it’s our nature to turn away from God.

Let’s be honest with ourselves and admit that sometimes we are caught up in battles and if we look for the root of them, we find they are mostly fueled by selfish needs or desires.

Often, we do not receive because we do not pray. Often, we do not receive because we do not pray in the right way, because even our prayers are fueled by the things we want. Our prayers are almost like a shopping list.

And yes, we love the world. We love the world so much that we allow the world to lead us by our noses, as one leads a bull by a small ring in its nose. Like little robots, we do and think as the world has programmed us to.

It’s not a nice picture and it makes one feel ashamed. When the light shines on our actions, we feel ashamed. Then we actually want to hide in a corner and hide everything we do so that no one can see it.

But thank goodness, there is a loving Father. Thank goodness He does not leave us alone in a small corner of our lives. Thank goodness He notices that we’re in trouble, does something about it, and comes to help us out.

How?

⁶And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find.

God gives us heaps and heaps of grace. Grace that puts these errors and crookedness of ours out of sight.

We know we don’t have to take the punishment for our sins. We don’t have to go and sacrifice something so that the blood of an animal should flow in the place of our blood. We don’t have to do it again and again and again.

Jesus’ blood flowed once, and it was enough, more than enough to take away the punishment of all mankind once and for all. Thank goodness for that! This is life-saving music to our sinful human ears.

We receive mercy for our fighting and selfish desires, for not praying or praying badly, and even for our love of the world. It’s so much more than we deserve, but that’s God’s way of doing things.

The question is what do you do with that grace now? I think we are wasting this God-given grace if we continue in our old ways. With this grace in the bag, we must try to break with the old and walk the new path with God. May we start working on it now!

Scripture
James 4:1-6

Reflection
What things in your life still bother you?
How can you get rid of it?
How do you live in gratitude for grace?

Prayer
Father, wow, thank you so much for all the grace. So much more than I deserve. Help me to improve my own life and get rid of the things that bother You and me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.