The Weekly Word - A Devotion for the Week of April 10
In James 5:6, James condemns rich unbelievers who oppress his poverty-stricken Christian readers.
In the seventh verse, he encourages these suffering believers. He urges them to be patient as they wait for the coming of the Lord.
In the world’s eyes, these wealthy oppressors appear to be winning. They were comfortable and lived well. By the world’s standards, they had succeeded in most ways that mattered.
But in James’s view, the day of the Lord – or the “day of slaughter’ (James 5:5) – was coming.
He wrote that these rich people should start “crying now in anticipation of the misery headed their way.”
But material wealth means nothing in the eyes of God. His law knows neither wealth nor poverty, and righteousness always prevails.
To those trusting in Christ, however, James offers this same fact as comfort. The day of the Lord is coming. Be patient while you wait for Him to keep His promise.
Waiting is hard, especially when life is hard and oppressive. Like the farmer who toils and then must wait for the payoff from their efforts, all of the struggle and strain eventually lead to the glorious harvest.
Be patient like that, James says. The harvest will come.