The Book of James - 9
Patience and Praise
Praise and prayer that we looked at in the last study belong together. We cannot ask God to give us prayer-it is something we must get on and do for ourselves. Prayer is telling our Father God about our needs, our anxieties, making request to him as a child would to its Father. Jesus said that if a child asks his father for bread will he give him a stone? No, of course not-he will give him something to eat. But praise is the thanks we give to the Lord for being our wonderful Father.
In James' letter we find several good reasons for praise. But, first, what does the word itself mean? The Greek word James uses is psallo which literally means to pluck the strings of an instrument. The word Psalms comes from this very same word and the book of Psalms is a book of 150 songs most of them singing joyful songs of praise to God. The word praise comes something like 206 times in the book of Psalms. Here is one of those times: Psalm 92 verses 1 to 4 "It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning, and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the work of your hands".
Several writers in the Old Testament look forward to the time when, not only in the Temple in Jerusalem, but among the non- Jewish nations on earth people will praise God with their voices:
"Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles and sing praises to him, all you peoples" - Psalm 117 verse 1. The apostle Paul in the New Testament writes: "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ", Ephesians 5 verses 19 and 20.
Happiness is infectious; Christians should be spreaders of joy in our world so that many sad people will get a glimpse of God's love. Do you remember how James opens his letter:? He writes:
"Count it pure joy when trials and troubles come to you", chapter 1 verse 2. What a wonderful testimony to God's love and power it is when we can praise God even in troubles. Let’s make a list of things about which we can praise God as we find them in James’ Letter:
- We can transform trials into joy - chapter 1 verse 2.
- There is a crown of life promised to those who persevere and love God - chapter 1 verse 12.
- Praise God that he is our loving Father who gives us many good gifts - chapter 3 verse 9 and chapter 1 verse 17.
- God is merciful to us - chapter 2 verse 13.
- God gives us wisdom when we ask for it in faith - chapter 1 verse 5.
- Praise causes us to sing - chapter 5 verse 13.
- God can heal us and do amazing things in our lives - chapter 5 verse 13 onwards.
With praise in James' letter goes patience-both go together; a praising person is a patient person. It is hard to praise God if you are impatient because an impatient person is always dissatisfied with his life, he or she always wants things to be better quickly. The other day I passed what could be called a wayside pulpit, a notice board giving thoughts about God and the Christian life. It said "I asked God to give me patience. He said No, it's up to you to be patient".
Listen to James chapter 5 verses 7 to 10:"Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and the spring rains. You, too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near." Now when James speaks of the Lord's coming (his parousia, his drawing near) he can mean his second coming at the end of time or his coming to us in our everyday lives. The New Testament certainly speaks of a time when the present age will end with the return of Christ to earth, so don't let us get impatient.
God is working his purpose out among the nations on earth. Political regimes will come and go, but the work of the kingdom of God will not fail. And remember, too, that Jesus comes to us in our present situation in our personal lives, in our family lives and church lives. He comes to encourage us, to rebuke us, to heal and restore us. So, says James, don't be found grumbling with your fellow Christians when Christ comes, remember, he is just outside the door of your house or church: "Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!", chapter 5 verse 9.
When we grumble against our neighbours or fellow Christians, it is often because we are impatient with them and we want them to change and do what we want. It is a great blessing when we are patient with one another, often it brings out the best in them and in ourselves. Think how patient Jesus was with his troublesome disciples! If he had always been impatient with them they would never have learned the all-important lessons he had to teach them before he left them. He was strict with them and had to correct them many times, but he didn’t give up on them. Peter denied Jesus three times and all the disciples ran away when he was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane by the soldiers, but Jesus even then loved them to the end.
The Lord knows your trials, be patient, he will do what is right for you, because "The Lord is full of compassion and mercy", chapter 5 verse 11.
Here are three thoughts from James on patience and praise
- Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise” - chapter 5 verse 13.
- Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming" - chapter 5 verse 7.
- With our tongue we praise our Lord and Father" - chapter 3 verse 9.