Verse of the Day for August 29

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not. Upbraideth not. He does not scold.

That small phrase matters on a long road. Early on, asking God for wisdom is easy. By the fifth year of the same struggle, the same illness, the same difficult child, we begin to feel embarrassed. Surely he is tired of hearing about this. Surely I should know by now.

James says no. God gives liberally, which means generously, without measuring. And he does not reproach you for asking again. The tenth request is welcomed like the first.

The verse before explains why the road is long: let patience have her perfect work. Patience is doing something in you that a shortcut could not. The aim is that you would be perfect and entire, wanting nothing, whole and mature.

Then James asks for faith, nothing wavering. Not faith that has no questions, but faith that keeps coming to the same God rather than drifting between him and other answers. If you are on the long road this morning, standing at the bus stop with the same prayer as last year, pray it again. He is not annoyed with you.

God's generosity does not run out on the long road.

Patience is working on something you cannot yet see.