Page 107 - Grace150 Devotional

Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my
works…For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works
is dead. James 2:18, 26

I’ll admit it: I can hear of God’s grace and act like a spoiled child who received
ice cream after stealing a toy. We can so frequently hear of God’s forgiveness we
feel almost entitled to it. We end up living not by grace, but by self-righteousness,
covered in a mask of assurance.
James blows the lid off of this idea of being “numbed by grace”. Grace is not meant
to numb our hearts into a sort of holy coma. It is meant to animate our hearts into
a life of joyful service. Jesus tells us in John 10:10 that He came to give us life to
the full, and James expounds on that, saying full life is made of works.
Before any astute, reformed minds cry legalism, let me explain. James is not
talking about legalistic efforts to earn salvation. Works are our faith becoming
sight and faith acted out. Our works are the way God accomplishes His will on
earth. Without works, we actually starve our faith, singing our soul into a lullaby
of twilight complacency.
Works also complete our joy. Imagine if when I asked Megan to marry me,
I proposed and then said, “Now, tell no one.” It would stunt her joy. Celebrating
our engagement with family and friends completed our joy. So works bring us
fulfilling joy.
Father, may You satisfy Your church. Bring us to our knees frequently, so that
our hands would more frequently be extended in service. May our worship
produce the natural result of obedience, and may Your grace be the fuel that
lights the match in our hearts. Amen.
– Kevin King

devotions for the journey DAY 100