Facing Earth, Living for Heaven
James was one of Jesus Christ’s closest disciples. He went from being a fisherman to sitting under Jesus Christ’s leadership. James grew in understanding that following Christ would require his loyalty and devotion, but it was only after Jesus Death and Resurrection that James more fully realized the call of following Jesus and the true gift of not chasing after this world but living in light of the eternal life Jesus promised him. James became a key leader in leading the start of the early church. He was the first disciple to be killed for his faith. Early on, James thought Jesus was there to overthrow the Romans and free Israel. He asked for a high political position next to Jesus in his limited view of what Christ would do on earth. What James came to see, was that God’s Kingdom was eternal and to serve Christ was to set one’s sights on God's grander plan unfolding through Christ the Church-even when it leads to his martyrdom.
THINK and PRAY:
Following Jesus Christ will mean growth. When you understand the Gospel, the offer of forgiveness and eternal life that Jesus offers, you only start your walk of “knowing God’ and his plans. James is an example of a fisherman, turned disciple, turned leader of the Early Church, turned honorable martyr for the faith. He grew in His faith and loyalty, not to the world’s systems (political, societal, religious) but in His loyalty to Christ, which ironically guiding his everyday life on earth-even until his martyrdom. James exemplified growth in Christ and being conformed to God's view and purposes that are larger than our own small views or goals. God will grow each one of us if we keep our eyes on Christ and our hands willing to live our faith out in love-no matter the cost. If you know Christ, have you been stretched in your Knowledge and experience of the sacrifice that means for your life? Can you track the growth Of becoming more like Christ as you have owned the cost of following God?