October 22, 2012 – Day 15

⁴ You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? ⁶ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” ⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ^[1]

One of the greatest struggles followers of Christ have ever had, have even now, and will continue to have is figuring out how to live in a culture that is opposed to God. Popular polls taken in this country discovered that sixty percent of the population claims to be Christian while more than sixty percent do not go to church anywhere. Yet our society moves further and further away from that which pleases God. Followers of Christ are presented with a dilemma and compromise and accommodation become the order of the day.

There are a variety of strategies one can employ when deciding how to live counter culturally. According to H. Richard Niebuhr, one can live against the culture, of the culture, above the culture, in paradox with the culture, or as transformers of the culture (Christianity & Culture). James would argue that living of the culture, as a friend of the culture makes us an enemy of God. I think most followers of Christ would agree that being a friend of culture is not the option that pleases God but have also discovered that it is a far easier path to follow. That, I think, is the point. This is our Father’s world but the devil is the prince of it. He cannot win the fight in which we daily find ourselves, but he will never give up.

In our arrogance we often think we can conquer the devil by going along in order to get along or by bluffing our way thinking God will understand our compromise because we did not really mean it. God understands our struggle and so gives to those who humbly seek to live righteous lives filled with integrity grace to overcome. Those who persist in playing games with the devil, and therefore also with God, He opposes because now they have made themselves His enemy. We should desire to be known as friends of God and not enemies no matter how tough the fight becomes. How do we do that? James advises something so simple that we wonder how anyone could miss it: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Lord, You know our daily struggles. Too often we have tried to handle them on our own only to be met with constant failure. We have disappointed You and ourselves. Forgive us our pride and arrogance and enable us to give you our ‘highest and best.’ Allow us to hear Your voice today as our faith is challenged. Give us grace to make the right decisions and live with the consequences. We desire to be known as Your friends, so help us to overcome our fear and resist the devil. This we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.