James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Once again the NIV dilutes the meaning of the text, saying “heavenly lights” instead of just saying “light.” God didn’t just create the sun, moon, and stars, He is the source of all that illuminates, spiritually and intellectually as well as physically. That said, there are two main points to this verse. The first is that since God is the source of everything good, we should be grateful! The failure to be grateful, instead taking things for granted, has been a problem for mankind ever since Creation. The Japanese uses two different words for “gift,” one being a present, like we would send to one another, and the other being like abilities, such as a gift for music. Both material things and abilities are gifts from Heavenly Father. When we forget that, we get into all sorts of trouble. The second point of the verse is that God doesn’t change. He said that to us very clearly through the prophet Malachi: “I the Lord do not change.” (Malachi 3:6) He is the only perfectly reliable thing in existence. We tend to rely on things like the earth and the sea, but recent events in Northeast Japan show we can’t even do that! We can have stability in this rapidly changing world only when we are grounded in our unchanging Creator. The rate of change has been increasing so much lately that mental and emotional problems are rising sharply, because people simply can’t keep up. The answer isn’t giving up, it’s looking up!

I’m in the middle of a stressful change at the moment myself, with one blogging service changing to another without my knowing what was happening. I have no high horse from which to look down on anyone on this issue! Like everyone else, I need to keep looking up, recognizing the overwhelmingly abundant grace and blessings that are poured out on me, and spend my days in grateful obedience. The nation of Japan has just been given a strong lesson in grace, which is to say, none of us deserve any of the good things we have. We need to do an inventory, recognizing that everything good is God’s gracious gift, and turn our hearts to Him in gratitude and obedience.

Father, I need Your wisdom and anointing in conveying this message to those around me, especially to those who have not yet acknowledged Christ. I pray that grace and anointing especially for Your children who are ministering in Northeast Japan right now. I pray it also for for all Your children across Japan, that they may radiate the hope, peace, and joy that are found in Christ alone, drawing many into Your kingdom for a mighty harvest, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!