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. (NIV)

The good folks at the church I serve have almost finished building my new office. Only a few minor details need to be completed and when the bookcases arrive in two or three weeks' time, I think I'll have an "open day" to celebrate.

The most amazing parts of the new office for me are the new ceiling lights. They illuminate my space with an artificial daylight. Instead of the old yellow light, there's a great brightness across the whole room and my eyes are not as easily tired when reading books, writing memos, or keyboarding my messages. In fact, it is so bright in the office that there are hardly any shadows in the whole area. I know it sounds silly, but honestly, the daylight brightness of the lamps diminishes the shadows.

I like what James had to write about God's good and perfect gifts. It seems to me as if there's a brightness attached to them which extinguishes any shadows of doubt, fear, or anxiety. God is constantly loving, patient, and benevolent. His compassion and grace are neither impulsive nor capricious. He does not change like shifting shadows. He is utterly faithful and entirely reliable, even although the church, church people, and society as a whole may be constantly changing and shifting, reforming and transforming.

Prayer: Lord God, people and things keep changing around us. What is acceptable and relevant today may be challenged and changed tomorrow. We live in a society that is constantly moving and sometimes we just want stop the world in order to catch up. Thank You, Father, for being the Almighty constant in our lives. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.

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John Stuart <traqair@aol.com>
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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