What About Today?

Reverend J. Loren Russell

James 4:1-6 NJKV

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

When present day readers of the scripture examine the context, we sometimes find ourselves asking about the relevance and applicability of the word in contemporary times. We find ourselves asking, “What About Today.”

Our ancestors who wrote the scripture were living in a world quite different from the world we know today. I do not think they could have imagined the technological advancements and modern conveniences we have made from their time until ours. If any of them could step out of the pages of history and into this contemporary era, they certainly would not recognize anything, but they would be astonished at the similarities of the human condition. They would see wars, people killing people, adultery, and blatant enemies of God. They would see that the people of today are just as disconnected with God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit as they were in their time.

The brother of Jesus wrote this epistle somewhere between AD 48-62. Times were quite different in terms of the environment, but remarkably familiar in the character of the people. Sin was rampant and self

indulgence was the order of the day. Prayers were going up, but the blessings weren’t coming down. Times were tough, but grace was available. I believe James was aware that he was writing to a much wider audience than the people of his time. After all, he himself was not a believer until the ascension of his brother. He understood that it can take time before it reaches it’s intended audience, but he was confident that it would reach them.

More than 2,000 years after James lifted his prophetic voice, it still echoes in the hearing of saints and sinners alike, at least those who are seeking their soul’s salvation. It was true yesterday, it’s still true today, and will be true tomorrow.

We face each day with joy; we walk through the day with humility. So when someone asks, “What about today?”, a full biblical answer might be:

Today is God’s gift — rejoice in it. Today requires God’s grace — walk humbly in it. So when someone asks, “What about today?”, a full biblical answer might be: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Whatever today brings, God supplies grace—but it flows to the humble heart. ejoicing without humility can become pride. Humility without rejoicing can become heaviness. But joy + humility = grace-filled living.

Whenever the question is raised, “What About Today?”, with confidence, anyone can answer, “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.” For James, he answers the question in the text; But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

Be blessed!

Rev. J. Loren Russell is the Clergy Officiant at the Evangelical Church of God and associate minister at Goodwill Baptist Church, both in the Bronx. He is the President/CEO of The JLR Company/J Loren R Consulting, LLC for Church Financial & Strategic Consulting (718-328-8096). He writes this column and produces and host’s “Matters of Faith: The Radio Show” on Monday nights from 8:00 – 10:00 PM on The Matters of Faith YouTube channel. Be sure to Friend, Like, and Share the column and the channel. Email us at [email protected]. Order your copy of Matters of Faith: The eBook at www.smashwords.com/books/view/993177

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