“Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? Or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, And warmeth them in dust, And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, Or that the wild beast may break them. She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not her's: Her labour is in vain without fear; Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, Neither hath he imparted to her understanding. What time she lifteth up herself on high, She scorneth the horse and his rider.”
Job 39:13-18 KJV,https://bible.com/bible/1/job.39.13-18.KJV
An Opportunity for Joy
James, the half-brother of Jesus, couldn’t believe that his flesh-and-blood sibling was the actual Son of God—until He rose from the dead. Then, he was convinced. It was that same James who wrote:
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”
James 1:2-3 NLT
According to the first-century Jewish historian, Josephus, James was eventually martyred for his confident faith in Jesus—his brother and his Lord.
Here are five things to note from James’ mini-sermon:
First, the text says “WHEN troubles of any kind come your way…” It’s not if but when troubles come our way. We live in a broken world that has not yet been fully restored, so we shouldn’t be surprised when issues and challenges arise.
Second, the text says “when troubles of ANY kind come your way…” Not merely ...