Scripture
17Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.[1] He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.[2] 18He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.[3]
Listening and Doing
19Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20Human anger[4] does not produce the righteousness[5] God desires. 21So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
22But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
Translation notes (5)
- 1:17a Greek from above, from the Father of lights.
- 1:17b Some manuscripts read He never changes, as a shifting shadow does.
- 1:18 Greek we became a kind of firstfruit of his creatures.
- 1:20a Greek A man’s anger.
- 1:20b Or the justice.
He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
What comes to mind when you think of the word “change.” Maybe change excites you as you think about the new challenges and opportunities that change brings. Maybe change brings feelings of anxiousness or unrest due to uncertainties and difficulties that change can bring. Whether we like change or not, change is inevitable. With all of the changes that are thrown at us throughout our lives, there is one truth we can take confidence in: our God never changes.
James reminds us that God stays the same in a constantly changing world. He calls God "our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens" and says, "He never changes or casts a shifting shadow" (verse 17). Take hold of the truth in this verse: God never changes. Your circumstances may change, but God never will. When the ground feels like it is being pulled out underneath your feet due to change, you can plant your feet securely in God and His word, knowing that God remains the same. This is the best news. God is still on the throne. He is still in control. Nothing surprises Him or catches Him off guard. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, loving, faithful, and so much more.
The truth that God never changes means you can have peace in every situation. You can rest assured that God is still working amid any storm you face. He is still faithful and powerful enough to bring good out of any situation. He never changes, and His promises never change. Hold on to Him today, whatever situation that you find yourself in. Stand firm in Him today.
Moving toward action
For the next few minutes, pray. Thank God He is faithful and never changes, even when everything around you changes. Make plans to continue to thank and praise Him in one of our weekend services! We cannot wait to see you there!
Going Deeper
James 1:17-27
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