Five Minute Friday-Lift

Every Friday, I join a community of bloggers for Five Minute Friday. One word prompt, five minutes. And I literally write it in 5 minutes. The prompt this week is … lift

In the book, James the straightforward apostle writes explaining his letter what practical Christianity looks like. The main purposes for James’ letter include 1). To encourage Christians who were facing persecution to persevere. 2). To motivate them to hold on to the law of God. 3). To explain that faith without obedience to God is useless. 4). To instruct them in Christian living, even under duress and persecution.

In chapter one of James, the reader is informed right away that life is not easy and that there will be various trials of various kinds (James 1:2). Regardless of the trials, James provides encouraging words in 5 chapters to help the reader navigate the Christian life with its ups and downs and maintain a faith in God that is steadfast and endures (James 1:12) and is full of hope.

The only thing to do in this case is to lift your eyes to Jesus. He is the only one that can give you direction and hope. In him, you can find your peace and your joy. I’ll leave you with Psalm 121.

I will lift mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore. Psalm 121