Time Uninterrupted

I finally had uninterrupted time to look into my final paper on James 4:4. I only had it about 70% done previously, before I put it aside because I just could not piece it together. I thought I need to step away and later look at it afresh. It was a good decision as I believe I would have pulled out all my hair if I had not.

I am looking at James 4:4 not only as the climax of the letter, but also as one way to draw out a structure in James. Many scholars have been struggling with James' structure though some developments are seen lately to observe it as a somehow structured letter in its own right.

I am glad that I have finally completed all the four Biblical Interpretation papers, and I have learnt quite a bit. The challenge now of course, is to live out what I have learnt.

But one thing that striked me was what Carson has talked about yesterday. He was questioning the practice of keeping academic study cold and academic and devotion time spiritual and pious, hence a bifurcation of the two, I shall call them, disciplines. I can identify with that because I was feeling kind of guilty that since I am spending all the spare time I have on my so-called "academic endeavours", I realise I did not have much time left for "pious and spiritual devotion". So what I did was to make my studies, assignments, research and reading both "academic" and "pious and spiritual". I do try to pray over it, worship with it and adore God in all the greatness I see the more I learn about him. I thank Carson for putting my doubts to rest. I am allowed to do that. In a lot things that he said we have no right to do as preachers, I am happy to know I have the right to do this. But I must be careful to keep on doing it: praying and worshipping, adoring him in all that I do.

pearlie