PRAYER IN JAMES - James closes his letter as he began it, with a call to prayer. In 1:5, he urges readers / listeners to pray for the wisdom they need in becoming mature; in 4:1-3, James addresses the kind of selfish prayers that God does not answer: "when you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" (4:3 niv). In James’ closing words on prayer, he details prayer in the form of praise, intercession, and confession. In summary: 1) Pray for wisdom; 2) Pray with integrity; 3) Pray pastorally and effectively. [1]

COMMITMENT TO SPIRITUAL WELLNESS - James’ instructions for persons within the community who are not well raises questions for every Christian community. At what level of the ministry of healing will we offer those in need of wellness? "There is no gap here between physical and spiritual healing. They happen together. The oil gains its power from the human hands that apply it . . . by reaching across pain and loneliness to re-establish the solidarity of the community. The prayer . . . "over" the sick person is a sign of the community’s commitment and support in the time of crisis. [2]

ANCIENT VOICE - Whenever some illness comes upon a man, he should hurry back to the church. Let him receive the body and blood of Christ, be anointed by the presbyters with consecrated oil and ask them and the deacons to pray over him in Christ’s name. If he does this, he will receive not only bodily health but also the forgiveness of his sins. [3]

 

Who is someone that you admire as a person of prayer?

Who is someone for whom you pray regularly?

How is confession and prayer part of the healing process?

Please refer to this week’s DPS homily based on James 5.

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[1] Life Application Bible Commentary: James (Wheaton: Tyndale Publ., 1992), page 136.
[2] The New Interpreter’s Bible XII (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998), page 222.
[3] Caesarius of Arles (470-542) in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture XII (InterVarsity, 2000), page 60.