Daily Devotional • July 25
The Feast of St. James
A Reading from Jeremiah 26:1-16
1 At the beginning of the reign of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, this word came from the Lord: 2 Thus says the Lord: Stand in the court of the Lord’s house and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the Lord; speak to them all the words that I command you; do not hold back a word. 3 It may be that they will listen and will turn from their evil way, that I may change my mind about the disaster that I intend to bring on them because of their evil doings. 4 You shall say to them: Thus says the Lord: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you 5 and to heed the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently — though you have not heeded — 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.
7 The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. 8 And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
10 When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and took their seat in the entry of the New Gate of the Lord. 11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, “This man deserves the sentence of death because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.”
12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, “It is the Lord who sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard. 13 Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will change his mind about the disaster that he has pronounced against you. 14 But as for me, here I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. 15 Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will be bringing innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.”
Meditation
In the feast of St. James, we find the opportunity to reflect on the call of apostleship. Like the prophets of old, James and his companions are those who have been called for a divine purpose. They are to speak the word of the Lord, to share the whole truth about sin and forgiveness, death and new life.
The vocation of apostleship did not come with any more security for them than it did for the prophets or than it does for many who carry on that ministry in the modern day. As Jeremiah was surrounded and threatened because of the truth which he bore to the people of Judah, so too does the mantle of an apostle bear with it the burden of speaking the very same truth. The call, in season and out, is to speak the full measure of the gospel for the salvation of souls and to do so without holding back a word, even if it comes at the cost of reputation, livelihood, or life itself.
Having been redeemed by God, the life of an apostle is no longer their own. They cannot help but to speak of repentance that those who hear God’s commands would by grace turn to him and obey. Apostles go forth ready to share in the sufferings of their Lord so that those to whom they go may know that it is he who has sent them. They go that by their very lives they may proclaim the coming of the kingdom of God.
St. James, pray for us and for all those called to the ministry of an apostle.
The Rev. Benjamin Hankinson is the director of admissions for Nashotah House Theological Seminary and priest in charge of St. James in West Bend, Wisconsin. Originally from South Carolina, he has also served parishes in the Diocese of Springfield.
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Daily Devotional Cycle of Prayer
Today we pray for:
The Diocese of Southern Highlands – The Anglican Church of Tanzania
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Honolulu, Hawaii
