James 1:17
“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”
With our world changing so drastically recently, this verse is a soothing balm to my soul. When fear is all around us and we are tempted to be sucked in to its pull, we have Gods words and promises to steady us and bring perspective to every situation. He never changes even when it feels like everything else in our world is changing. He is not surprised by a virus, school closings, changes in travel plans, sickness or anything else we may be facing. He is still sovereign, All-knowing, with each of us every second of every day and the Giver of whatever is good and perfect.
As a reminder of who God is and some of what He has done for us, let’s look at a few of His gifts to us listed in the Bible. In Romans, Paul tells us that our salvation is given as a free gift, and also God is credited with giving us everything. In Corinthians, God tells us about the spiritual gifts He gives to all of us, and He is praised for giving us victory over the grave. Hebrews tells us that God gave us the Holy Spirit as a gift. Psalms talks about Gods word being a gift of light for us. Isaiah foretells Christ being given to all mankind. Matthew tells us that our Heavenly Father gives good gifts, and Luke tells us that Christ’s body was given for us. The book of John tells us that God’s peace is a gift to us. In Acts, God gave people power, and in 1 Timothy the Bible says God richly gives us all we need. James tells us that He is the giver of wisdom when we ask for it. I realize that we know all of these things, but sometimes when our circumstances feel upside-down, looking at a list of Gods gifts brings peace and comfort.
We have a heavenly Father. He knows exactly what each and every one is us is facing every minute of every day and night. He is the same as he was last week, last year, a hundred years ago, during Bible times, and when He created the universe. He is faithful, trustworthy, loving, perfect, above all, mighty, the ultimate healer, our protector, our strong tower, peace, and generous! We are His prized possessions. When our minds drift or race to fear and the worst that our world has to offer, can we change our thoughts and set our minds on His words in this verse today?
Maybe our fear and worry are more deep-seeded than being scared of a virus and it’s repercussions. Maybe we are struggling to trust that God is who He says He is. Maybe we don’t yet know, or haven’t experienced His trustworthiness in a tough personal situation. I think that hard things in our lives force us to get real with what we truly believe. I think it is okay to have questions and seek His personal response to our individual circumstances. When we are seeking Him, we actually see His action, recognize His voice, and experience His care. I promise that if you are looking to find Him, He will not keep Himself hidden. So I’ll close with His words, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”