Today, Wednesday December 09 – James 5 – It appears that one of the major themes that runs through the book of James is “Patience”. You don’t ever want to pray for patience, because you would actually be praying for trouble to come your way! Remember the book of James begins with, “My brethren, consider it all joy when you encounter troubles, trials and difficulties, because these will try your faith, which then will produce patience and you will become a more spiritually mature person.” So, as we go through this wonderful book, we are learning how to be patient with ourselves, with others, and with difficult people and circumstances. Patience is confidently, with hope and faith, waiting for the Lord to take care of the mess I find myself in. Here in chapter five, the rich have been exploiting the poor laborers and have not kept their promises to them concerning their wages. It always hurts when someone wrongs you, but especially, it is painful, when it is because of their greed that that deceive you concerning your pocketbook! Maybe, today it would be like the politicians who make so many promises that they never keep! And we get poorer as they somehow get richer! But we are to still be patient and be looking for the Lord to return, Who will make everything right at His coming. If we are discouraged, James says look to the prophets and Job in the Old Testament and we will find out that the Lord is “always compassionate and merciful”. God always keeps His promises and so should we! (James 5:11-12) God bless!