It probably goes without saying that this phrase of David’s which we are considering –‘Surely goodness and mercy (love) will follow me all the days of my life’ –is an utterance of faith. It can be said only by someone who looks beyond the events and circumstances of life and has implicit confidence in the One (Lord God Almighty) who is ultimately in control of everything in the universe. David believed that nothing could happen to him, no difficulty or dilemma could come into his life, without eventual good emerging from the chaos because he knows that as long as he remain loyal to his God, He will overrule everything in his life and bring good out of every evil or bad that come his way. Most of us, when we look back on our lives, can see the truth of this, but the challenge is to believe it when we are going through the circumstance. Ah –then it is not so easy! The only people who can practice this life principle are those who believe and trust in our Lord God Almighty. Let us all try and be practicing this divine principle. Have you heard of Philip Brooks? He was one of the great preachers of a previous generation. He began his career as a schoolteacher and both he and his advisors had every reason to believe that he would do well. But he was a failure. He went home to his parents mortified beyond words. In the midst of his depression, there came to him a clear call to the Christian ministry. At first he pushed it aside, but the call grew louder and louder. He was led on step by step to become a preacher of amazing influence, gaining a position of high esteem on both sides of the Atlantic. Whenever our God wants you in a particular area of life, He has a way of bringing you into it through circumstances and vissicititude of life. He says in a sermon on the 23rd Psalm: ‘In the hours of my humiliation, if anyone had said to me that “God’s goodness and mercy and His Gracious interventions” were following hard on my heels, I would have considered them an imbecile. But actually God’s goodness, His mercy and His grace did! How differently I might have quickly responded if I had believed then, as I believe now, that His goodness and mercy and grace are constant companions.’ How different indeed! And so it is with many people today, and this is why it is vital that we take advantage of our hearing the Gospel so that we will always be on God’s side!

Now let us read James 1:1-18; 1[a]James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve [Hebrew] tribes [scattered abroad among the Gentiles] in the dispersion: Greetings (rejoice)! 2Consider it nothing but joy, my [b]brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. 3Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. 4And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing. 5If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. 6But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. 7For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything [at all] from the Lord, 8being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides]. 9Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position [as a born-again believer, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God]; 10and the rich man is to glory in being humbled [by trials revealing human frailty, knowing true riches are found in the grace of God], for like the flower of the grass he will pass away. 11For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; its flower falls off and [c]its beauty fades away; so too will the rich man, in the midst of his pursuits, fade away. 12Blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] is the man who is steadfast under trial and perseveres when tempted; for when he has passed the test and been approved, he will receive the [victor’s] crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God” [for temptation does not originate from God, but from our own flaws]; for God cannot be tempted by [what is] evil, and He Himself tempts no one. 14But each one is tempted when he is dragged away, enticed and baited [to commit sin] by his own [worldly] desire (lust, passion). 15Then when the illicit desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin has run its course, it gives birth to death. 16Do not be misled, my beloved brothers and sisters. 17Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow [d]cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes]. 18It was of His own will that He gave us birth [as His children] by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of His creatures [a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself--sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes].

Now let us read James 1:1-18; 1[a]James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve [Hebrew] tribes [scattered abroad among the Gentiles] in the dispersion: Greetings (rejoice)! 2Consider it nothing but joy, my [b]brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. 3Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. 4And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing. 5If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. 6But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. 7For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything [at all] from the Lord, 8being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides]. 9Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position [as a born-again believer, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God]; 10and the rich man is to glory in being humbled [by trials revealing human frailty, knowing true riches are found in the grace of God], for like the flower of the grass he will pass away. 11For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; its flower falls off and [c]its beauty fades away; so too will the rich man, in the midst of his pursuits, fade away. 12Blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] is the man who is steadfast under trial and perseveres when tempted; for when he has passed the test and been approved, he will receive the [victor’s] crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God” [for temptation does not originate from God, but from our own flaws]; for God cannot be tempted by [what is] evil, and He Himself tempts no one. 14But each one is tempted when he is dragged away, enticed and baited [to commit sin] by his own [worldly] desire (lust, passion). 15Then when the illicit desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin has run its course, it gives birth to death. 16Do not be misled, my beloved brothers and sisters. 17Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow [d]cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes]. 18It was of His own will that He gave us birth [as His children] by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of His creatures [a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself--sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes].

C.S. Lewis once quipped that most of us don’t really want a Father in heaven, but a Grandfather in Heaven, a “senile benevolence who only wants to see the young people enjoy themselves, and whose plan for the universe is that it might be truly be said at the end of each day, ‘a good time was had by all.’” What we want, says Lewis, is a God who wants nothing more than for us to be happy. But the trouble is–our Father in heaven wants more than happiness for us. As the old saying goes, God doesn’t just want us to be happy (as we might understand the term), He wants us to be “holy too, even as He is Holy.” He wants us to be “mature and complete,” rebuilt into the image and likeness of Christ; I di ka Jesus…. And that is one reason He may sometimes allow us to face trials of many kinds, so that through it He fashions and mold us to be like Christ. Unfortunately we often resist this attempt of our God! A member of my congregation once told me about an experience she had years ago while going through a time of deep hurt and personal loss. One evening, she received a phone call from a wise and trusted friend. At one point her friend said, “I’m jealous of the person that God is going to make you through this challenges and life experiences that you are passing through. I wouldn’t want to travel the road you are traveling though. But I do want to end up where you are going to end up.” This is exactly how it is with majority of us people, we want to be like the successful ones, but we don’t take time to know all the challenges and difficulties of life that they have endured. It was not a well-timed statement. In fact, my parishioner said it was all she could do not to hang up the phone on her friend. And yet, nearly a decade and a half later, those who know this woman well would say that her friend’s prediction was exactly right. Trials produced perseverance, and perseverance completed its work, and she became more “mature and complete.” Very ready and prepared to face life and be happy and joyful with all what our Lord permits to come her way knowing that they are for her own good, training and maturity in God! This story of life transformation and faith is not wholly unique. Many people in our pews have faith stories that fall into the “What-doesn’t-kill-you-makes-you-stronger”’ category. But for those who are currently facing trials, they can serve both as a tremendous encouragement and a wonderful challenge. Encouragement–for the Spirit can use even the ugliest things in our lives to produce something beautiful and good. And challenge–for they push us to be (as Frederick Buechner once put it) good stewards of our pain–opening ourselves to the divine Spirit so that He might use the most difficult times in our lives to sow seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and all the rest that are referred to as the fruit of the spirit.