January 18 Daily Devotional

Scripture for Day 18—James 1:18–21

¹⁸ Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. ¹⁹ Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰ for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires. ²¹ Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Devotional:

People generally take verse 19—" be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger"—in isolation, as a Dale-Carnegie-esque bit of advice about how to win friends and influence people. It's good advice too. The problem is, that's not the Holy Spirit's point in this context. One way you see this is by the verses that bracket this verse. Verse 18 says that "he brought us forth by the word of truth." Verse 21 infers, "Therefore … receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." In this context, "be quick to hear" must mean to be quick to hear God's Word.

When I was a new believer, a freshman in college, God graciously put me under the preaching of Pastor Lew Grotenhuis at an Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Harmony, New Jersey. I had grown up in the church, yes, but under Protestant liberalism. And so, this was the first time in my life that I had ever heard the Bible exposited in preaching. And, believe me, I just couldn't get enough! Like a starving beggar, I was there bright and early every Lord's Day for both morning and evening worship, sitting way up front. If I had ever heard someone say, "Aw, do I have to go back for evening worship?" it would have seemed like nonsense to me. "Do I have to?" Don't be ridiculous, brother, you get to!" This was the product of the Holy Spirit's gracious working, but it was also important to my spiritual growth, and other Scriptures stress its importance. "You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God ... And this is the word that was preached to you … Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation" (1 Pet. 1:23–2:2).

Do you long to hear God's Word? Do you go to church prepared and eager and alert? Do you hungrily seize every opportunity that God gives you to hear his Word?

"Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth … Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear…"

Revive thy work, O Lord,
thy mighty arm make bare;
speak with the voice that wakes the dead,
and make thy people hear.

Revive thy work, O Lord,
disturb this sleep of death;
quicken the smould'ring embers now
by thine almighty Breath.

Revive thy work, O Lord,
create soul-thirst for thee;
and hung'ring for the Bread of Life
O may our spirits be. (Albert Midlane)

Click here for background on the author of Are You For Real?: Meditations in the Epistle of James for Secret or Family Worship.