Although the Lord had commanded Israel to conquer Canaan, the tribes of Reuben and Gad were proposing an alternative. Since the land east of the Jordan River was ideal for livestock raising, they wished to remain there and not cross the Jordan to fight the enemies of Israel.
Referencing Proverbs 3:34, James reminds us that God’s unmerited favor is for the humble and not for the proud. Jesus teaches us precisely the same principle. “And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12)
Waiting is the hard part. Waiting for results from a medical test. Waiting to learn about the job offer. Waiting your turn to board the airplane or be seated in the restaurant. Waiting for just the right time to talk about a difficult subject. Waiting for the bell to ring, for the storm to pass, or for the fish to bite. Waiting for Christmas Day. Waiting for your ship to come in.
Some people assume that only Eastern religious gurus and yoga practitioners care about the relationship between body, soul, and spirit, when in fact the Bible clearly highlights both the importance and the interdependence of each part.
The biggest critics of Jesus were the Pharisees He considered to be hypocrites. They placed a heavy burden upon their followers through man-made rules that they themselves failed to keep. They tried to produce righteousness from the outside in, paying more attention to appearances than underlying realities. They demanded righteousness from others, but did not exemplify it in their personal lives.
The word translated “meditate” in this verse is “logizomai” in the original language, and was used to describe mathematical calculations in the marketplace. The same term can be translated “reckon” or “estimate” or “calculate” or “compute” or “take into account.”
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