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Twilight Zone
Do you remember the science fiction television program hosted by Rod Sterling? The show’s opening was not very sophisticated, by today’s standard, but I still remember those simple, swirling lines that pulled the audience into the show’s beginning. As I’ve read and prayed about this scripture this week, God has shown me that in order to look at something you have to take action to order to see it. Simple thought, I now realize. We take so much for granted the gifts that God has given us. Think about what it takes to “see” something. We have seen so many things that the process becomes automatic.
First, you head in the direction of the object you want to see. Then our whole body somehow works to get that image processed. I can’t help explain that one. But…how many times a day do we automatically look at routine day to day items and have them not register any importance to us.
This scripture includes the phrase, “looks intently.” I don’t know the Greek routes of intently, sorry Alan, but did dig deeper in the dictionary to learn that intent is defined as “having full attention or effort focused on one thing” and intently is to “show great determination to do one thing.” So to me James was saying that we should give full attention to, focus on one thing and making great efforts to accomplish that. James is referring to ‘…the perfect law….” Ps 19:7 says “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul….”
My take away from this is… that I have become so busy with things in life that I can be missing what life is really about. Consider taking James words to heart. Decide to put aside multi-tasking, pay full attention, and focus on God’s word, the perfect law.
As we do that, our relationship with God grows. We become less concerned with accomplishing our tasks and more in tune with what God wants us to do. Then we may further understand how “blessed” we are through God’s gift of his Son.
Tim it is a blessing to know you and your family. I agree with you about getting to know the word as it shows us God. I have heard the phrase “to know Him and make Him known”. It is simple like the Twilight Zone opening but it helps me focus on what is important. I have had the blessing of getting to know God because I have access to God’s word. It has been a blessing to be able to put God’s word into the Greek peoples hands before. I would ask for your prayers as Cumberland puts together a team to do that again this summer. There are several people trying to raise support finacially to come. Pray for us. thanks
i definitely have to stop texting while I drive.
I must close the lap top and talk to my kids.
I have to quiet myself to hear the whisper of God.
Thanks, Tim.
“LOOK intently into the perfect law…. not forgetting what he has HEARD…”
This would be a mixed metaphor if we were talking about any other book on the planet. Isn’t it cool that God makes himself heard when we look?
Tim, thanks. You reminded me of something. It doesn’t follow the questions but I think its in the verses you wrote about.
The book of James definitely has the old Nike “Just do it” theme running throughout. It’s a book telling us how to turn faith into action – an appropriate lesson considering FIA is this coming Sunday: You want to have pure religion, then take care of widows and orphans. If you are sick, ask the elders to annoint you with oil.
James says he can demonstrate Faith by Action. What you reminded me of is what someone told me a long time ago, that we really cannot understand God until we obey God.
The example the person gave me was how we tell our kids to do something, but instead of obeying they keep asking why. We finally get frustrated and say what we promised we never would say to our own kids, “Because I said so.”
God knows that there’s no inspiration more profound than obedience to Him. He knows that we really cannot understand Him or what He is telling us until we do. Only then can we really “see.”
Intently and intensity are so similar. I often lack intensity in my relationships, treating them as casual, low value items. I need to increase the intesity and invest intently in that which I am pursing…a closer walk with Thee.
I like it. Intently. My word of the day, for sure. I am with Herb here. Relationships for me, outside of family, are usually built on following a common direction rather than building relationships that can last past a common goal or common direction. Getting back to the text. Determination in looking intently at the scriptures, (hmm…reminds me of a book I am reading) requires much focus. Nice challenge. Thrilled we have the Holy Spirit to guide us here.