April 10 Daily Devotional

Scripture for Day 100—James 5:7–10

⁷ Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. ⁸ You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. ⁹ Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. ¹⁰ As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Devotional:

"Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord" (v. 7). Yesterday we considered the example of the farmer. Today, think of the prophets. "As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord" (v. 10). Those godly men suffered at the hands of the wicked. Why? Because they bore witness in word and deed to God's righteousness and judgment.

Ahab and Jezebel persecuted Elijah because God used him to bring the curse of drought upon the northern kingdom for worshipping Baal. The leaders of Judah threw Jeremiah in prison because he said that the Lord would destroy Jerusalem and send his people into exile. Daniel was thrown into a lion's den because his integrity pricked the guilty consciences of ungodly idolaters. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace for the same reason.

"Time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth" (Heb. 11:32-38).

In our day, unbelievers persecute faithful Christians and churches because they bear witness to God's righteousness and the coming judgment. But like the prophets, we must patiently endure until the coming of the Lord. Then the Lord will vindicate us and the truth we stand for.

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