Thursday, September 5th | James 1:17-27

Passage:
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

19 My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. 25 But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who works ​— ​this person will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world. -- James 1:17-27 (CSB)

Song:
Gentle and Lowly by Joe Deegan

Lyrics:
Lord, make us servants in Your house

And consider others better than ourselves
Lord, make us humble and make us meek
Quick to hear, slow to speak

Make us gentle and lowly in heart
That we might demonstrate who You are
For your yoke is easy and Your burden’s not hard
Make us gentle and lowly as You are

Lord, take our burdens and give us rest
That we might know the poor in spirit shall be blessed
Take our ambitions and take our dreams
Make us still enough for You to wash our feet

Make us lovers of the truth
While loving others who do not trust in You
Give us courage not to be proud
To do the work that goes unnoticed by the crowds
Hide our right hand from our left
Do not give us over to self-righteousness
If love is patient, if love is kind
If there’s no greater love than laying down our lives

Prayer:
O Lord God, grant your people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow you, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
-The Book of Common Prayer