Crowns Received Because of Love (James 1:12)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-23-03

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Crowns Because of Love

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  James 1:12

 

            Message of the verse:  “12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”  (NASB)  “God blesses the people who patiently endure testing.  Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”  (NLT)

            Verse 12 is the end of this first section in James as outlined in Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary.  This section started in verse 2 with joy and ends in verse 12 with joy.  This verse tells us that the believers who perseveres und trial is blessed and will be rewarded with the crown of life.  This is not a crown that will be given to him on earth, but will be given to him when the Lord returns.  This crown is given to the believer because of love as seen at the end of the verse.  John tells us that we love God because He first loves us, and proved that love for us by sending His Son to die in our place for sins we should have died for.  Therefore when we get to heaven and are given crowns for things done well while we were on the earth we will cast our crowns at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are also rewarded by growth in Christian character, and this will bring glory to the Lord.  In Hebrews 12 the writer speaks of Christ enduring the cross because of the joy that was set before Him.  First there was the cross and then the crown, and this is the same for the believers who stand up under trials, first the suffering and then the glory.  If God did not send trials to us we would not grow and mature as believers.  

            At the end of this verse James says the crown of life is given to those who love the Lord.  He did not say for those who trust Him or obey Him but love Him. There are four imperatives in this section of James and love is the spiritual force behind each of them.  Dr. Wiersbe says that if we love God we will have no problem counting, (a joyful attitude), knowing, (an understanding mind), letting, (a surrendered will), or asking, (a believing heart).

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I think that what I can learn from this verse and from this section is that the love of God should be the motivation for every thing that I do.  I believe that if you look at the life of Jesus Christ while He was on earth that you can surely see that He did everything because of love, love for His Father by obeying Him, and love for us by dying for us.  Johns Gospel and letters are full of love and so love is the greatest motivation for living the Christian life.

 

The Word of God was full of challenges, and even the greatest challenge to love God.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To love the Lord with all my heart and all my soul and my neighbor as myself.