God’s Good and Perfect Gifts (James 2 Verses at a Time +1)

I can’t believe it has been a month since I last posted about the verses in James I am memorizing.  The last month has flown by and somehow I was sidetracked from working on memorizing James 1.  On a positive note, my bible study group has been studying Beth Moore’s bible study on James, and today is our last day.  The study has given me a deeper glimpse into both the life of and book of James.  My prayer is that as I get back on track with my memorization that the lessons I have learned from this study will be reinforced.

I love receiving and giving gifts especially those gifts that are just because and just what the person needed or wanted.  It could even be something simple as a chocolate bar or a coke left on your desk by a friend.  In my last James post,  I wrote about how our desires can lead to sin which leads to death and listed some ways to help steer our desires in the right direction.  Today we pick back up with James 1:16-18 with James warning us to not be misled.

So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.  Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.  He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.  He chose to give birth to us by giving us His true word.  And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. (NLT)

It is so easy to be misled into thinking that we can find good and perfect in the world.  Why not?  They find it in the movies with their happily ever afters.  It goes back to my last post and where my desires are leading me?  What are my desires?  Are they from God?  Am I seeking to fulfill those desires from the world when they can only be fulfilled through God and His ways?   Am I seeking good and perfect from a source other than God?

As I memorized these verses, I thought about all the good and perfect gifts from God that I have taken for granted.  In these verses, James reminds us of a few of those gifts.  God created the lights in the heavens to make our night beautiful.  God  never changes or casts a shifting shadow.  What he says today is still true tomorrow.  He is not a fickle god who changes his mind on a whim.  He is trustworthy and faithful.  Lastly God chose to save us, and we are his prized possession.  What more could we ask for?   For the past few years, I have kept a journal where I record the things I am thankful for.  It has been a good exercise for me so I won’t forget what God has done and is doing in my life and those around me.   When I focus on what God’s good gifts are, I am less likely to go looking for whatever is good and perfect from another source.  I am also more content in the place God has me during this season.